Jilly Jack Designs

New Designs on Shutterfly.com

2011-11-17T07:44:00.000-08:00

Jilly Jack Designs for A Fresh Bunch has two more designs available on Shutterfly.com in their personal stationery/thank you card category. We are so excited to share these new designs with you. The first is Belle Salutations and the second is Scooter notes. It was super fun to design these, I hop you enjoy them. By the way, personalized stationery makes for great holiday gifts! ;-)

Take care,
Jill

Jilly Jack Designs is in the Fall issue of "Stationery Trends" magazine

2011-11-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

We are so honored to be included in the Fall issue of "Stationery Trends" magazine in their story featuring stationery for the four bs, brides, babies, birthdays, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. The photo featuring some of our new Wedded Bliss Album line of letterpress wedding invitation suites also appears on their web site. Thanks to all at Stationery Trends for their continued support!

Also in this issue is a great designer profile on Kseniya Thomas who runs the letterpress shop, Thomas-Printers and is also co-founder of Ladies of Letterpress with Jessica White of Heroes & Criminals Press.

Take care,
Jill

Jilly Jack Designs loves the we ♥ letterpress kickstarter project

2011-11-08T05:16:00.000-08:00

Help support we ♥ letterpress as they organize an international letterpress exhibition in collaboration with Zygote Press in Cleveland, Ohio USA from 20 April to 19 May 2012.
Check out the video to find out more.

Take care,
Jill

Jilly Jack Designs Holiday Card on Shutterfly.com

2011-09-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

Jilly Jack Designs is so excited to have a holiday card selected to be sold on shutterfly.com as part of the creative group A Fresh Bunch. We have been licensing our artwork through A Fresh Bunch for about a year now and have had some great opportunities come our way. So for all the early birds, please stop by and pick up our photo card at this link. Happy holidays!

Take care,

Jill

Jilly Jack Designs are Fresh!

2011-06-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to let our retailers know that A Fresh Bunch has officially launched Fresh Art Fast. It's live and ready for you to take it for a spin! Check out the demo video below.

These tools are REVOLUTIONARY because:
- they connect retailers directly to suppliers
- they streamline the costly and time consuming proofing process
- they increase order accuracy because there is less transferring of information from place to place

These tools are The Future of Retail because:
- they improve retailer margins by giving retailers access to actual production costs
- they give retailers flexibility in how items are produced - in store on desk top printers or through a professional production partner
- they require no special software and a minimal investment of $12.99 per month

Wouldn't you rather order this way than filling out tedious fax forms? Or submitting an order electronically but then having to wait days for a proof?

Jilly Jack Designs is so proud to be a part of this revolution in the stationery industry. Here are a couple of our designs for Fresh Art Fast. The first is a fun shower invitation featuring a recipe card and the second is a beach themed save the date.

I would love for you to give Fresh Art Fast a whirl! It's truly a win-win situation.

Take care,
Jill

Jilly Jack is Back in the House

2011-05-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Literally and figuratively! I've been absent from my blog, working diligently towards the National Stationery Show. It's been quite a whirl wind affair, to say the least! Now that I'm back, it's time to do follow-ups with retailers and media alike. No rest for the weary and the crazy ;-)

I met some amazing folks during the show. I find most stationery designers to be really helpful and friendly. I don't think you'd find that to be the case at most trade shows. I brought my hubby, Dave, along for the ride for the first time. He was a real trooper! He says he has a new found appreciation for what I do. He endured sore feet and expensive cab rides. He was my unofficial twitter jockey at the show and was thrilled to be retweeted by industry pros! Plus he got to watch a taping of Letterman, so not bad for a week in NYC.

We had some amazing food as well. We stayed a block away from Hell's Kitchen and had two amazing meals there. The first was at the Thai restaurant called Room Service at 690 9th Avenue. The decor was just as the amazing at the food. The pomegranate mojito wasn't bad either! The other great meal we had was at the Eatery on 9th and 53rd. The food, company and service was exceptional. Our favorite dessert was the cupcakes my cousin Tyler brought us from Billy's Bakery. Thanks Ty! He brought us 4 and we each had one, the maids either ate or tossed the other 2. I hope they ate them, so at least some one got to enjoy them. They were boxed and in a bag on the desk, not sure what was up with that!

All is good. I hope you are all doing well too! I will leave you with a few pics of the two new product lines we launched at the show. Our custom everyday stationery album and our custom wedding letterpress album.

Take care,
Jill

Letterpress Stop Motion Animation

2011-02-09T06:26:00.000-08:00

CLICK TO LINK TO VIDEO
If you love typography and letterpress you will love this stop motion animation by Lynn Kiang. It was a collaborative effort with Sara Raffo and Gregory Geiger. Lynn Kiang is currently studying at the Rhode Island Institute of Design.

Take care!
Jill

Jilly Jack in Stationery Trends Magazine

2011-01-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

I have a thing for magazines, ask my husband! Most of my magazines are for pure pleasure, but Stationery Trends magazine, even though it's a trade magazine is great to read for business and pleasure. I was so thrilled when mine arrived Friday and I discovered Jilly Jack Designs was included in the publication! Our new letterpress coasters were included along with our custom birthday invitations for A Fresh Bunch. How lucky can one girl get? Thanks for letting me toot my own horn a bit!

Take care,
Jill

Jilly Jack's Typography Tuesday

2011-01-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! Here is my font find for Typography Tuesday. Sketchetik is designed by Ossi Gustafson and published by Hiekka Graphics. It's a sort of sketch version of Helvetica. It reminds me back in the day when we had to hand letter our type, you know before computers. Well maybe you don't. Anyway, I really enjoy this face and I thought you might too.

Another thing I recently discovered, now you have the "option" to buy two separate licenses, one for print and one for web use of a font. Is this new or have I been living under a rock? Why not just have one license and charge appropriately? Chances are if I print it, I'll post it too. What are your thoughts on this?

Take care,
Jill

Jane Austen, Go Figure!

2011-01-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

I admit it, I'm a total Jane Austen geek! I was surfing and found this hilarious Jane Austen action figure. It's on the Archie McPhee web site. I just think action figure and Jane Austen are so incongruous that it's awesome. For all you Seth Godin fans they have an action figure of him as well, along with action figures from a Crazy Cat Lady to Bach. This site is basically an online gag gift store, with a taste for anything bacon flavored and mustached. So head on over for a chuckle.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Take care,
Jill

Images ©Archie McPhee

Bright Color Palette for the New Year

2011-01-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling optimistic today. It's snowing, windy and gray, so instead of creating a color palette of soft grey hues, I've gone the opposite route. Here are eight bright and cheery colors to start off the new year with vigor and energy. Take that winter!

Just wondering if colors affect you the same way they do me? Let me know what your favorite colors are and why. I'd love to hear from you.

Take care,
Jill

Jilly Jack's Etsy Picks

2011-01-05T07:54:00.000-08:00

Today I'd like to introduce you to the very charming work of artist Cori Dantini. I just stumbled upon her work on etsy.com and I find it magical. Please take a minute to give it a peek here. I love her use of color, line and texture. She has a blog http://coridantinimakes.blogspot.com where you can find out more about her. Makes me want to paint. Love it!

Take care,
Jill

image is ©coridantini2010

Jilly Jack's Typography Tuesday

2011-01-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this font that I just saw on MyFonts.com, It's called Rooney. It's designed and published by Jan Fromm. I love it because it feels friendly to me. It's a serif that doesn't feel too formal, it has weight and presence. It comes in six weights, I prefer the light, medium and bold. I plan to add Rooney to my font collection asap!

What are your thoughts on the face, love it, hate it? I'd love to know.

Take care,
Jill

main part of image from myfonts.com gallery

"Little Book of Letterpress"

2011-01-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and that 2011 will be a stellar year for everyone!

I was fortunate enough to receive this lovely little book for Christmas, Thanks Dave and Jack! I love it! "The Little Book of Lettepress" is written by Charlotte Rivers with a foreword by Yee-Haw Industries and published by Chronicle Books. It gives a quick history of letterpress and its mechanics, with the main body of the book serving as a portfolio of all the current artists in letterpress printing. It's a virtual who's who of all things letterpress. Each page is filled with color photos of projects and brief descriptions of the process and paper used. If you are a letterpress junkie like I am, you'll love this book as well. You can find it on Amazon.com.

Please feel free to share what your favorite gift was!

Take care,
Jill

Anthropologie love

2010-12-10T06:16:00.000-08:00

Have you been to the Anthropolgie web site lately? You should visit and be sure to take the scenic route. It's a very cool interactive trip through an accessorized landscape. It's a genius way to get us to shop and spend more time at their site. They are so clever! Check it out for yourself here.

Take care,
Jill

Image is property of Anthropologie

Jilly Jack Loves Pantone's 2011 color pick

2010-12-09T06:57:00.000-08:00

Pantone just revealed their color of the year for 2011, Pantone 18-2120 Honeysuckle! They describe it as a vibrant and energetic hue. Read more about their choice here. We love it and think it will be great for stationery. Let us know what your thoughts are.

Take care,
Jill

Image on right owned by Pantone.

Jilly Jack hijacked during google search!

2010-12-01T07:45:00.000-08:00

I just discovered Mindy Gledhill while searching for something entirely unrelated. For once I'm glad I got hijacked! I'm such a sap, but I totally cried when I heard this song. It reminds me of my little guy, who is not so little any more. I guess it's that sentimental time of year. If you want to know more about this artist please visit her blog. Enjoy!

Now back to what I was really searching for!

Take care,

Jill

What are you thankful for?

2010-11-24T08:26:00.000-08:00

I think it's a good idea every now and then to stop and count your blessings. I get caught up in the minute details and what I want, don't have, or haven't achieved. So today, the day before Thanksgiving, I'm sharing a list of what I'm thankful for.

So here goes!

I'm thankful for:
my family
a wonderful husband and friend
a loving, silly, creative and amazing son, who I'm so thankful for his good health
my large and furry lazy black dog
good health
friends
a nice warm house to live in
great neighbors
creativity
apple computers
paper
letterpress printing
glitter, glue and baker's twine
great design
chick flicks
books
music
open minds
democracy
freedom
clean air
recycling
plants, flowers, trees, birds, bees, animals
NYC
getting letters in the mail
holiday decorations and cards
great food
family get togethers
time
planet earth

I think that about covers it. What are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Generosity part 2

2010-11-08T05:41:00.000-08:00

Being generous and being taken advantage of is a fine line. You have to decide where to draw it. I feel great when I know I'm helping someone out, but when it starts to eat into my own family time, that is when I draw the line. What about you? Where do you draw the line?

An important thing to know is what is too much for you? If you start to feel uncomfortable with the amount of time your giving out, that's when you need to say no. No, is not a dirty word. It can be your best friend if you let it. Otherwise, how will anyone know you aren't comfortable helping out? If you don't want to do something and you say yes, then you are part of the problem. So don't be afraid to say no. They will find someone else to help and you won't be frustrated. It's a win, win situation in my book.

If you are a designer like me, you may be asked to donate your design time. You have to be very judicious with this and plan for it in your yearly budget. Pick out the few charities or friends that you are passionate about and donate your services to just those. Otherwise, everyone will be hitting you up for free work and then how will you make a living?

We all walk the fine line between generosity and being taken advantage of quite often, but it's up to us to draw the line. Be strong, and don't be afraid to say no. Remember, generosity should feel good and if it doesn't, you should have said no.

Take care!

Jill

Generosity

2010-11-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

Hi! It's been a while since my last post. I would like to start back by talking about the idea of generosity. What does it mean to you? I don't know about you, but I don't have a lot of money to donate. I wish I did! But I can be generous with encouragement, energy and enthusiasm and information.

I have benefitted from some very generous and successful women in the paper industry, who have shared their time, information and encouragement. I would like to say thank you to all of them! For that reason, I have also shared with others who are starting out in the business. Sometimes it can be difficult to share information with others in the same industry, you might feel like it's helping the competition. I'm not saying to give up your trade secrets by any means, but you can help someone with general information about how the industry works or where to find a certain paper, etc.

I would encourage everyone to mentor a colleague, be a friend, be encouraging, be helpful and be honest. All it takes is a little time and you will be richer for it. I am a strong believer in the old saying "what goes around comes around". So reap what you sew and sew some seeds of generosity.

Feel free to share your thoughts on generosity. I'd love to hear all about it.

Take care!

Jill

Jilly Jack Designs has gone to the birds!

2010-06-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

I was strolling through my local pet store and looking at the parakeets with my son, when we spotted the most amazing thing. A little blue bird with black hearts at the side of it's beak. I couldn't resist, so I pulled out my phone and took a quick snap shot. I'm not normally a pet bird person, I prefer the ones flying around in my yard, but I may have to go back and buy this little guy. He stole my heart, so to speak. This little guy will definitely find his way onto some stationery for sure!

And no it's not a sticker and no photo retouching was done. He's an amazing work of nature!

Take care and have a great weekend everyone!

Jilly Jack Designs, A Fresh Bunch and the 2010 National Stationery Show

2010-05-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

Jilly Jack Designs is very proud to be a part of a great group called A Fresh Bunch. A Fresh Bunch, is a collaborative community of designers, retailers and vendors who are united by a commitment to collaborate and cooperate on creating success for all while embracing what’s new and what’s next in the stationery industry. Retailers can view online showrooms, press room and catalogs, and be part of ongoing conversations.

A Fresh bunch is debuting a great new program at the National Stationery Show (NSS). It's the Print in Store Program, which offers retailers pre-formatted designs for fast in-store printing. Retailers pay a one-time fee to download artwork that they can print as many times as they like. There is a yearly membership fee along with a small download fee, but once you've bought your design, it's yours to print as often as you like.

Visit A Fresh bunch at booth #2042 for more information and see Print in Store demos at the Fontaine Maury Booth #s 2806-10 today at 10 am and 3 pm.

Please check us out and let me know what you think. We'd love your feedback!

Top 10 in the Trendys Awards

2010-04-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

I couldn't wait to share the great news I got this week. Jilly Jack Designs has two designs in the top 10 of the Green category of Stationery Trends' the trendys. Our Sweet Series and Hello Series of note cards both go to the next round of voting. So if you're a retailer, please go to www.stationerytrendys.com

and vote! Both designs will be in their booth at the National Stationery Show as well as in their summer publication.

Congratulations to all the other top 10 finalists as well!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Jill

Spring Color Palette

2010-03-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

It's officially spring, so I thought I'd post some spring colors. My tulips are getting ready to bloom and I can't wait to see them. The world looks so much better in spring when all the flowers begin to bloom. Spring makes me think of fuzzy chicks and bunnies, pastel colored eggs and girls in pink dresses with white mary jane shoes. I tend to go less pastel and brighter, but that's just me. Please feel free to share your favorite spring-time colors.

Take care,

Jill

Typography Tuesday

2010-03-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

Good morning! This is the first of what is going to be a reoccurring column on my blog. So to kick off Typography Tuesday I thought I would share some fabulous wood type that I bought last week. I'm so fortunate to live in the same area as one of the major collector/sellers of all things letterpress. We sifted through a ton of boxes and drawers of type until I came across this beautiful set. It's an extended face. I also scored an extra bold set that is equally as gorgeous. I can't wait to print with them. I'll be posting the results in the future!

Take care,

Jill

Cookies to boost creativity

2010-03-01T05:49:00.000-08:00

Here is how I chose to spark a little creativity last week. The school bake sale was a perfect way to get out of my box and do something creative, but not graphic design or note cards. Well I did have to design a tag, I just can't help myself. What are some ways that you use your creativity or things that you do to get your creative juices flowing? I'd love to hear them!

Take care,

Jill

Mesu Measuring Bowls

2010-02-22T09:19:00.000-08:00

I bought these bowls at the 2005 How Conference in Chicago. They were designed by Jennifer Panepinto as a design project while she was getting her Masters in Design at the School of Visual Arts. She was dieting and was sick of measuring, so she created a set of bowls she could measure in and then just eat the food right out of them. Genius! I'm dusting mine off again as I journey down another (and hopefully last) weight loss trail. Jennifer's site say the bowls are out of production, but if you go to her site, you sign up for her mailing list of new product announcements. (I did see a couple on ebay)

Have a great day!

Jill

All images are owned by Jennifer Panepinto, LLC

Valentine's Day Card Swap Love

2010-02-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun with the Valentine's Day swap organized by Carina at crowandcanary.blogspot.com, that I just had to share. There is nothing like getting cards in the mail, no matter what the age. These were really special, because they were hand-made by fellow bloggers. So each of us were to make cards for the 2 people we were assigned. I was lucky enough to get Gabby Hanlin, card 1 and Ashley Mouton, card 2 as my swap mates. I loved their cards and the sweet notes they included. Truly lovely! I also thought it was quite ironic that each of their cards were in the same color family. They must have been channeling each other!

I have also included 2 pics of the cards I made for Gabby and Ashley. I create cards for a living, but this was a little different because I was making 2 and not thousands, so the sky was the limit, glitter, envelope liner, double layer, rounded corners and sparkly paper. I had such a fun time, can you tell? I had glitter everywhere. I found this great stamp of wood grain and used a glue stamp pad and then glittered the you-know-what out of those cards.

So here's to getting your hands glittery and recapturing a little of your childhood. It really got me motivated to work on my Jilly Jack note card designs that I have been procrastinating on.

Have you done anything lately out of the norm that has motivated or inspired you to be creative? Please share!

Take care!
Jill

Must have for foodies and typophiles

2010-02-17T06:26:00.000-08:00

I have fallen for these awesome Helvetica cookie cutters. How can anyone resist? A. they're cookie cutters and B. they're Helvetica! These wonderful culinary creations are from Beverly Hsu. They are in such demand that she is busy making more. Sign up at beverlyhsu.com for an email notification of when more cookie cutters are available. In the meantime, check out her site and view her portfolio, she's a very talented designer.

Okay, I'm hungry for cookies now. Oh man!

Have a great day!
Jill

Contest on Cafe Cartonlina

2010-02-15T10:05:00.000-08:00

Enter to win a pair of these fabulous 2010 Winter Olympic mittens, I did! Go to Cafe Cartonlina and try your luck! While you're there, check out her fantastic blog. It's worth the trip.

Image from Cafe Cartolina.

My Creative Influences

2010-02-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun exercise, list who your creative influences are and see if it helps you get in touch with your own aesthetic. What is it that helps mold you as an artist? I feel it's all your favorite artists and designers, each impacting your art in a different, yet profound way, that help to shape the artist you become. I've linked each artist to a page describing their work, so that you can get a better idea of where my design sense is coming from. They are listed in no certain order.

1. Paul Rand, a corporate identity genius. Take a look at his portfolio and you'll see what I'm talking about.

2. Saul Bass, brought graphic design to moving pictures, by way of title sequences.

3. Paula Scher, amazing woman in the graphic design industry, a definite roll model for women in the biz.

4. Miro, I enjoy his use of color and the playful quality of his work

5. Eva Zeisel, she is amazing, born in 1906 and still designing.

6. Frank Gehry, his organic architecture is either loved or hated, I love it.

7. Charles and Ray Eames, their sense of design and form were amazing.

8. Maurice Sendak, I loved his books and his illustrations made me want to draw.

9. Vasily Kandinsky, was a pioneer of abstract art and eminent aesthetic theorist

10. Paul Klee, his abstract style, use of color, texture and line are what I connect with

This was really fun, like a trip down memory lane from childhood on up through my career. I'd love to see who influences you in your work! Feel free to share.

Fun font of the day

2010-02-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

Compass TRF is a reevaluation of an existing Compass typeface dated 2002 and is design by Rumiz Guseynov for TipografiaRamis. Compass is a geometric contrast serif typeface. I'm in love with the flourish initials. I'm not sure why, but I'm on a kick with all these "flourishy" fonts. Must be that time of year, Valentine's day and all!

New Compass consists of four styles—regular, italic, alternate and flourish initials with small caps.

Compass TRF is recommended for use as display typeface. It is suggested that flourish initials font to be used for decorative purpose only, not basic typesetting. Read more at myfonts.com

I'd love to know what you think of this typeface and if you have any new fonts you'd like to share.

Take care,
Jill

Wonderful typography video

2010-02-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

F is for FAIL from Brent Barson on Vimeo.
I stumbled upon this amazing typography video called F is for Fail by Brent Barson. Just sit back and prepare to be amazed. I was! You can view other work by Brent at his web site, brentbarson.com

Enjoy!
Jill

Blog Style Board

2010-02-07T11:48:00.001-08:00

This exercise made me think back to some branding exercises we did at the agency where I used to work. If you could visualize your brand, what would it look like? Of course these were done with magazines and the client would clip out and paste on a board, but it's the same principal that I have used. What does Jilly Jack Design and more specifically this blog look like? So this is what I came up with out of materials I had on hand. It's bright, happy, clean colors, texture through materials used in the paper, ribbon and fabric used in the cards and folios. Most of all it is friendly and approachable. So that is what I'll be striving for. As far content goes, I hope to bring more of myself into the blog as well as fun info about our cards and graphic design in general.

I'd love to know how your style or brand board would look? Feel free to share!

Take care,
Jill

Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. Interview

2010-02-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. Interview from Shane Nassiri on Vimeo.

I thought you might enjoy this video interview with Amos Kennedy Jr. He is a letterpress (artist) printer, who has enjoyed much success and he's a really interesting person.

I hope you have a great weekend! It's snowing here, we're supposed to get 6-8 inches which is a lot for the area.

Take care,
Jill

Pantone Chair Love

2010-02-04T08:39:00.000-08:00

I saw these on Facebook yesterday and did a little digging to find the source. It turns out that Seletti makes them for Pantone. I tried to find a retailer, but the ones that were listed on the Seletti site didn't have them on their web site. I have a few graphic design friends that these would make perfect gifts for them. So, if any one knows where to purchase these, please let me know. I'd love to know how much they cost too.

I personally love the new turquoise PMS 15-5519. Shown above, which is their color of the year. My question is what color would you choose if you could?

Narziss Swirls

2010-02-03T06:32:00.000-08:00

I love the curls and swirls of the serifs on this type. Of course you would need to use it fairly large so they wouldn't get lost. But hey that works for me. It's elegant and light-hearted, formal and informal. I love that about it.

Narziss Swirls is a font designed by Hubert Jocham Type, the personal foundry of Hubert Jocham, started in 2007. Read more about Hubert Jocham and purchase the type from MyFonts.com

Have a great day!
Jill

Ever so wonderful paper!

2010-02-02T06:27:00.000-08:00

Ever is a paper produced by Gmund a papermill out of Germany. They make unique and spectacular papers. Ever comes in various text and cover weights. I love the San Francisco 54lb text weight because of it's textural qualities and the way the light plays with it. It's almost like a thick onion skin. You can buy small quantities online at the Paper Mill Store. It's not cheap, but it's worth it. It comes in 8 colors, Aomori, San Francisco, Salzburg, Lyon, Waikiki, Sverige, Anchorage and Lanzarote.

I've never used this for a project yet, so if you have, please share your experience. I'd love to know how it prints.

Oh, and have a happy Ground Hog Day! Phil really let us down, 6 more weeks of winter! I'm ready for some warmth.

Take care,
Jill

What Type Are You?

2010-02-01T05:01:00.000-08:00

It's an interactive piece where you answer simple questions and the "psychiatrist" analyzes what typeface best matches your personality. Give it a try here: What Type Are You? This looks like it was a holiday promo from the award-winning ad agency Pentagram, so I'm a little late on the draw. I'm taking the chance that you haven't seen it yet. I thought it was hilarious!

I was Dot Matrix. Not sure I agree with that. It's not my favorite typeface. Please share what type you are!

Take care,
Jill

Frosty Blue Stationery

2010-01-28T17:19:00.000-08:00

This is my final blue post in honor of the Colts making it to the Super Bowl baby! Okay, I'm done. I promise.

This is our Winter Series note card set. The designs are set against a frosty blue background—yet convey heart-warming wishes for the wintertime. I tried to remember what was special to me about the winter season. So mittens, snowflakes and what little ice skating I did were what influenced me. It sounds a little like the "Sound of Music" song "These are a few of my favorite things". Funny, I hadn't thought about it that way until now.

Our cards aren't just blue, they're also green. We print on 100% post-consumer waste, recycled paper. They even come in an eco-friendly felt folio made from recycled plastic water bottles. Check out more of our cards at www.jillyjackdesignsllc.com.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Jill

I love my Fan Book

2010-01-28T05:24:00.000-08:00

If you'd ask me to pick one tool, other than my computer for designing, I would choose my Pantone solid to process fan book. It has never steered me wrong and is a must for choosing colors for corporate identities. The point being that not all spot pms colors translate well into 4-color process. So I always use this book when choosing colors to make sure they work in both spot and cmyk applications. And never trust the color on your screen. Everyone's screen is different, so if you are designing for print you need to specify your color from a Pantone Matching System (PMS) Book. If you're really a big deal and have a lot of money, Pantone will make you your own spot color, like Tiffinay & Company and their famous Tiffany Blue.

As you can see by my photo, my book is really well used, and I probably need to get a new one. The colors fade with age and that isn't good for color matching. And it is still blue week, Go Colts!

Have a great day!

Jill

Crane Paper in Blue

2010-01-27T06:40:00.001-08:00

I had a visit from Karla, my favorite paper rep on Monday and she brought me a ton of swatch books. It was like Christmas. I picked some of my favorite blue shades from Crane's Palette swatch book to share with you. I think the book isn't the most current, but she brought it because it has larger sheets so that I could get a feel for the paper's weight and texture. I checked Crane's site and these colors are all currently stocked. That is one thing to look out for, make sure your swatch books are current and the paper is still stocked. There is nothing like getting burnt when you've designed a piece around a certain paper stock, only to find out it isn't made any more. It's not so bad if it's for yourself, but if it's something you've shown to a client. Ouch!

I'm really excited to use some of this paper with my new letterpress printer. Oh the possibilities! They have an a mazing raspberry too, but hey this is blue week. Go Colts!

To find out more on Crane Paper go to there site, cranepaper.com

Colors shown left to right: Cambridge Blue, Azure Blue, Navy and Aqua

If you have a favorite blue paper, I'd love for you to share it. There are some amazing papers out there. And of course, I'll be sharing some of the other amazing paper swatch books she brought.

Take care,
Jill

Jilly Jack Design Sparkle Card

2010-01-25T18:59:00.000-08:00

In honor of blue week, I though I'd share one of our cards from our Light Series. These note cards all feature some sort of light source and convey a message of encouragement, like sparkle. You can view our cards at our site www.jillyjackdesignsllc.com and you can purchase sets at our retail site here. The set includes 10 cards (2 each of 5 designs) with 10 envelopes which are printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper that is FSC certified. The set is contained in a folio made from recycled billboard wraps.

Michele Maule

2010-01-25T06:07:00.000-08:00

In honor of the Colts winning and moving on to the Super Bowl, this week's posts will all relate to blue in some way.

Today I would like to introduce you to artist Michele Maule, whom I found on etsy. Lucky for me, just about every piece has at least a touch of blue. How serendipitous! I love Michele's work. Shown is a self portrait, "The wedding". You should check out her typewriter and camera illustrations as well. Please visit Michele Maule's etsy shop.

Image is owned by the artist.

Back to class

2010-01-20T17:45:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited, I'm taking an e-class to enhance my blogging skills. This is the first week and I feel like I've already learned a lot about what I want to accomplish and where I want this blog to head. The class is taught by Holly Becker of decor8 with Leslie Shewring from A Creative Mint. Holly's blog covers interior design, new products and independent artists. Leslie's blog covers her wonderful photography and photo styling. Both have amazing blogs, so go check them out.

If you'd like to learn more about the class click the blogging your way badge to the left. We'll see where this new journey takes me.

New Typface

2010-01-19T06:14:00.000-08:00

I just found a great new typeface on myfonts called Museo Slab. It was designed by Jos Buivenga in 2009 and is published by exljbris. I just like it's simple and friendly feel. I am adding it to my list of must purchase fonts. Museo would work great in some new designs I have in my head.

Image from myfonts.com

Jim Mullan

2010-01-14T08:32:00.000-08:00

Jim Mullan creates these amazing birds that I just discovered in a photo on Fiona Richard's blog Cafe Cartolina (which is amazing). So I set off to find the artist. I happened upon him by accident while shopping for a gift on the site Uncommon Goods.

So here's what I found out from their site:

Artist Jim Mullan's line of bird sculptures was inspired by his fascination with birds and antique objects. Jim uses original bird decoys from the 30s, 40s and small birds that were carved in the 50s. The original decoys were passed on to Jim in 1991 and he turned each into an eclectic, one-of-a-kind piece of art.

Jim begins each piece by hand painting the bird and then adding a variety of vintage pieces, such as croquet balls, binoculars and old toys - giving each bird a lively personality and a dash of humor and whimsy.

Jim uses objects that were cast aside as useless to demonstrate the fragile balance between nature and industry.

Letterpress Video

2010-01-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Letterpress Coasters from Quarter Productions on Vimeo.

Okay, I'm a sucker for anything to do with letterpress printing and thought I'd share this video with you. It shows the process of making letterpress printed coasters. Not only is the subject matter cool, but so is the way the video is shot as well as the music.

I'll let you all in on a little secret as well. I just bought my first letterpress printer. It's huge and I'm still perfecting it, but I love it!

Enjoy!

A letter from me

2010-01-11T16:38:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

First of all, thank you so much for all your support over the
last year.

I just wanted to share a little more about myself and where I'm coming from and why this blog is important to me.

Ever since I was little, I’ve always loved to draw and doodle.
I was always excited in elementary school when one of my “masterpieces” ;–) was selected for art object of the week and was hung in the hallway outside of the principal’s office. I continued in my art focus through college and my career as a graphic designer to ultimately owning my own eco-friendly stationery design and manufacturing business, Jilly Jack Designs.

My stationery reflects my sense of color and design aesthetic. I love bright happy, clean colors and simple shapes. I chose to go into the stationery business because of my love for graphic design and paper plus I’ve always loved writing letters and receiving them. You know that feeling you had as a child when you got something in the mail? That is the feeling I want to keep alive for the next generation. My son Jack loves to get mail. He’s always sad when we get cards in the mail and he doesn't.

In this blog I plan to share more about my stationery business and how it is growing and evolving, as well as my creative process, maybe that will spark your creativity as well. I’ll also be showcasing people, places and things that I find inspiring or just really
like or want.

I welcome all of your comments. Please feel free to share what inspires you. I'd love to hear it!

Here’s to 2010, let’s make it a year full of wonderment and creativity!

–Jill

Ceramic Bird Bowl

2009-12-30T10:25:00.000-08:00

Artist Elizabeth Prince has a lovely way with pottery. This is my particular favorite. It features the blue that I tend to use in my stationery. I love the simple rounded shape of the bird too. Please visit Ms. Prince's ETSY shop Prince Design UK. It's full of wonderful ceramic pieces! If you'd like to know more about the artist, please visit her blog: Gone to Pot.

Image owned by Prince Design UK

Winter color palette

2009-12-21T06:08:00.000-08:00

I love these light pastel colors. They feel frosty, and snowy or as if they have sugar crystals all over them. Enjoy!

Holiday Decorations

2009-12-17T08:43:00.000-08:00

I love decorating for the holidays. It's a great excuse to break out the glitter. I have a feeling I'll be unknowingly wearing glitter for the next few months! This is a shot of the tree in my "blue" room, it's definitely a blue Christmas.

New Typface

2009-12-09T06:06:00.000-08:00

Aeronaut is a new neogothic typface designed by Georg Herold-Wildfellner. This face would be fun for a holiday card. I love the fact that you can do two-color combinations with the glyphs. You can read more about it here.

Architectural Salvage

2009-12-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

If you're ever looking for creative inspiration, I recommend strolling through your local architectural salvage store. Recently my husband and I made a trip to the White river Architectural Salvage and Antiques store. This store is amazing. They have everything from a Jackson Five Christmas Album to a church confessional booth. You can visit their site here.

I love the architectural elements found outside the building. You just never know when you might need a bust of James Whitcomb.

I personally don't do animal heads, but the rhino just caught my eye as something unusual and the story that might go with it. Makes you wonder, what the interior of the house looked like that had this thing hanging on it's wall?!

They had amazing amounts of fixtures, from sinks, tubs, windows to doors. I loved looking at all the door knobs what an amazing display.

Here are a few more interesting items, bingo balls and a Jackson Five Christmas album.

My favorite thing of all was this clarinet. It was beautiful. My sister and I both played the clarinet in jr. high school, so it's a sentimental favorite too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T04:15:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to say how thankful I am for wonderful friends and family. I hope everyone has an enjoyable day with their loved ones.

Parents Magazine

2009-11-17T09:59:00.000-08:00

Jilly Jack Designs is so excited to have been included in the Parents Magazine December 2009 issue's Gift Guide. Our Mod Series set in billboard wrap appears with other eco-chic products in their "tree hugger" solutions for gift giving. Be sure to visit Parents Magazine's goodyblog.com starting on December 1, 2009 to enter to win all the gifts from their guide.

Cordial Bloom

2009-11-04T06:22:00.000-08:00

I just found this fantastic floral font, Cordial Bloom from Umbrella Type, on Veer. You have to go check it out. It's so fun and the colors they've put together in this sample are wonderful. There is a downloadable pdf specimen book with full instructions on how to use the font. I have a feeling I'll see this pop up on a ton of cards this year.

Fall Landscape

2009-11-03T06:32:00.001-08:00

Nature is my ultimate inspiration. These shots were taken on a recent trip to the Brown County Indiana State Park. Indiana is pretty flat except for this area of the state. It's known for it's wonderful hiking paths and fall foliage. The colors are spectacular. The house we rented was on the side of a steep hill, we had to put the van in low gear and gun it to make it up. We all agreed this would not be fun in the winter. It was wonderful to be out in nature, the fresh air, color and wildlife from howling coyotes, cool green frogs to wild turkeys. Who knows, these things may show up in some cards some day.

Inspired by Sweets

2009-11-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

Often people ask me how I come up with the ideas for my cards. And actually my artwork comes from everyday things. I like to depict them in bright, fun, simple designs. My work is very straight forward and to the point. Which is very much like my personality. Friendly, approachable and uncomplicated. When I brainstorm, I like to think about things either current or in the past that were enjoyable and that everyone can relate to. This is where the Sweet series of cards came from. They are the sweets that we loved as children, cupcakes, cake, ice cream cones, popsicles and lollipops created with simple shapes and bright colors with fun sayings from the past.

All images ©Jilly Jack Designs

New favorite Online Store

2009-10-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

I found this awesome online store and couldn't wait to share it. Three Potato Four is wonderful for the collector in all of us. Especially those of us who are too busy to find these treasures ourselves. I absolutely adore the typewriters and the giant sign letters. This husband and wife team have a great eye for detail, which is no surprise since they both have a background in graphic design. Their is a wide range of products both old and new to please the collector in all of us.

Visit their shop here.

All images are owned by Three Potato Four.

Charlie Harper

2009-10-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

Charley Harper (August 4, 1922-June 10, 2007) was a Cincinnati-based American Modernist artist. He was best known for his highly stylized wildlife prints, posters and book illustrations.

In a style he called “minimal realism”, Charley Harper captures the essence of his subjects with the fewest possible visual elements. See more of his artwork here.

Designer Todd Oldham produced a book of Charlie Harper's illustrations call Illustrated Life. This book is on my list of must haves, see it here.

All images copyright 2009 Estate of Charley Harper

Cap'n my Cap'n

2009-10-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Adler's Utopia Cap'n & Stewardess Vases are charming and feel like the 70's to me. I love the captain especially, because I'm married to one. Although I notice the captain has an anchor on his hat, which may make him more suitable for navigating water than flying the friendly skys. Find them here.

Featured Artist

2009-09-30T03:51:00.000-07:00

Dolan Geima is a wonderful mixed media artist. Depictions of rural America, country music and birds are reoccurring themes in his work. I enjoy the texture and deep colors that Geima achieves. My favorite are his construction pieces, especially this guitar. Stop by his website and check out this amazing artist.

All images are owned by Doman Geima, Inc.

Etsy Find

2009-09-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

I found this wonderful handmade jewelry at Huismus's Shop on Etsy. I don't know which I prefer more, the jewelry or the photography. The photos are amazing and make we want to buy everything in this shop. Check it out here.

Featured Font

2009-09-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

An oldie, but a goodie, Century Schoolbook is one of my favorite serif fonts. Sorry, but I'm a bit of a graphic design and typography geek. I love the uppercase and lowercase Qs. You don't get to use them very much. This font has the perfect balance of thick and thin and hard and soft contrast. It's a great all around, easy-to-read font. Read more about the font here.

Let the Wild Rumpus Begin!

2009-09-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars! The movie version of Where the Wild Things Are comes out October 16th. This was my favorite book growing up. I fell in love with Maurice Sendak's illustrations and then writing of children's books. My first taste was through the Little Bear books and then on to my favorite Where the Wild Things Are. These books inspired me to become an artist. My son now loves them as I did.

My only hope is that the movie lives up to my imagination of what the land of the wild things is really like. It looks promising. See the a trailer here.

Natascha S. Rosenberg

2009-09-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

I love illustrator Natascha S. Rosenberg's light-hearted and whimsical style. She has fun with color and shape that is truly magical. Natascha is a freelance artist working on projects such as children's fiction and educational books. She was born in Munich and raised in Spain. She graduated from the University of Madrid with a degree in Law, then turned her aspirations towards drawing. Please visit her web site, shop and blog to find out more about this wonderful artist.

Please not all art and images are copyrighted by Natascha S. Rosenberg.

Fall Palette

2009-09-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

Last night my son was asking me what my favorite color was. He thought it was funny that I couldn't pick just one. I explained that as an artist, I love all colors. They bring out feelings or a mood, add contrast to one another, etc. I thought it would be fun to create and share a fall color palette. Go to the site, colour lovers to see more color combinations or share your own.

Costume Jewelry

2009-09-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

I found this wonderful site for vintage and costume jewelry, costumejewelrybug.com. This site is great, it gives you all the details you need to make a smart purchase. It even shows you the backs of a lot of the pieces, so that you can see the quality or any manufacturer's markings. I just love the colors and whimsy of costume jewelry. As a child, I would sit for hours going through my grandmothers' jewelry box as she would tell me the story of each piece. I think I even spied a few pieces on this site that were in my grandmothers' collection.

Not your mother's wallpaper

2009-09-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

Well, okay maybe it is. Drawflowers' Etsy shop consists of delightful and unexpected objects made with vintage vinyl wallpaper circa 1970. Check the shop out here.

All images owned by Drawflowers

Powerful Typography

2009-09-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

I saw the Girl Effect video on Facebook and had to share it. Not only is this a wonderful cause, it's a wonderful use of type in a video. It's a great example of "less is more" and was created by Wieden+Kennedy.

Watch the video by going to this link. It makes me thankful to live in a country where I have rights to do as I choose.

2009-09-11T05:16:00.000-07:00

I love getting color forecasting. This is Pantone's fashion color forecast for 2010. It's always interesting to see what fashion designers will pick as the new spring palette. Not to mention their lovely sketches. Check it out here and let me know if you agree with their choices.

Image and logos are all owned by Pantone.

Typographic History

2009-09-10T05:54:00.000-07:00

I'm putting this book on my list of must haves. If you love typography, you'll want it as well. Nineteenth-Century American Designers and Engravers of Type. by William E. Loy (edited by Alastair M. Johnston and Stephen O. Saxe) is now available for purchase at Oak Knoll Press. The book not only looks at American typefaces during the nineteenth century, but profiles the designers behind them.

Paper Love

2009-09-09T06:04:00.000-07:00

DALI DORÉ by Gruppo Cordenons is a felt-marked text and cover with an infused gold shimmer. The shimmer is achieved by millions of natural, tiny mica crystals in the coating. This sheet is acid-free and archival in quality. It has a thin, lined texture that runs parallel with the grain. It comes in 4 colors: Blumarino (dark blue), Rosso (red), Candiddo (cream), and Nero (black). The sparkle is amazing and even more dramatic on the darker colors. Love it and looking for an excuse to use it.

Feeling Sunny

2009-09-08T07:06:00.001-07:00

It's a gloomy day here and I thought we might all benefit from some cheery yellow items.

1. Yellow leather notebook from Hermes. I love the vibrant intensity of the yellow and the texture is amazing.

2. Trollsta sideboard from Ikea. The juxtaposition of the clean lines and the ornate details around the bottom are what make this sideboard great. Not to mention the great Ikea price as well.

3. Bumble Bee Enamel Flower Ring - Black and Yellow from SpiderellaStudio's shop is fun and harkens back to the costume jewelry I used to play with in my mother and grandmother's jewelry boxes.

4. Pod no.2 10x8 print from the polaroidsandpinhole's etsy shop. It amazes me what artists can do with simple materials we often take advantage of or think are passé.

5. Whorled Trapunto Rug from Anthropologie. The rug has great organic yet graphic style and features pimpernel, mallow and anemone blooms.

All images are owned by their respective companies.

Stunning Sunset

2009-09-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

I was looking through our photos from our 2007 holiday trip to Hawaii and came across this sunset picture. It seemed fitting for a late Friday night post. This image brought back a lot of great memories and the smell of the ocean and the feel of the warm breeze. It was a magical evening and a spectacular sunset as the sailboat drifted by.

Have a great holiday weekend everyone.

City Museum

2009-09-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

If you love found art and your kids love to climb and do hands on activities, look no further. My family discovered the City Museum in St. Louis a couple of years ago. I was so enthralled by all the details of the building and structure. I've never seen anything like it. You have got to see it to believe it. And if you go wear long pants and tennis shoes. There is a lot of crawling and climbing to do. The photo montage shows just the tip of the iceberg.

Here is info from their website.

Housed in the 600,000 square-foot former International Shoe Company, the museum is an eclectic mixture of children's playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion, and architectural marvel made out of unique, found objects. The brainchild of internationally acclaimed artist Bob Cassilly, a classically trained sculptor and serial entrepreneur, the museum opened for visitors in 1997 to the riotous approval of young and old alike.

Cassilly and his longtime crew of 20 artisans have constructed the museum from the very stuff of the city; and, as a result, it has urban roots deeper than any other institutions'. Reaching no farther than municipal borders for its reclaimed building materials, CITY MUSEUM boasts features such as old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile, and even two abandoned planes!

"CITY MUSEUM makes you want to know," says Cassilly. "The point is not to learn every fact, but to say, 'Wow, that's wonderful.' And if it's wonderful, it's worth preserving."

Images: City Museum

Passion for paper

2009-09-02T06:02:00.001-07:00

While exhibiting at the National Stationery Show last year, I picked up some amazing swatch books from GMUND. My particular favorite is Savanna, a collection of paper inspired by Africa. It comes in eight shades, four with wood embossing and the rest are either a matt or structured surface. All are beautiful, however, my pick is Bubinga. I love the dark rich brown and the texture of the wood is fantastic.

Fun font of the day

2009-09-01T05:31:00.000-07:00

This font is one that I discovered about 6 months ago. It is fun and friendly, which is pretty much my design aesthetic. Of course you should use it sparingly, it's not the easiest read and you'll have to kern the you-know-what out of it. But it's fun and light-hearted. Find it here.

Etsy Find

2009-08-31T13:44:00.000-07:00

As if I need another reason to want an iPhone. I just found these great leather iPhone cases. Find them here, along with other great leather goods.

2009-08-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

I think the images speak for themselves. Angela Adams is a master at color and pattern, something for me to aspire to as a stationery designer. And yes she does paper as well. She inspires me creatively to push for brighter, cleaner colors and bold dramatic patterns that are also warm and dramatic. She's a true design powerhouse. See more from her web site.

Logo and images are all owned by Angela Adams

Ceramic Artist

2009-08-27T08:32:00.001-07:00

I just discovered this amazing London artist. I adore here whimsical view of things and wonderful use of color. See other works by Julia Bailey here.

The Color Purple

2009-08-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here is an inspiration board of all things purple. I'm not suggesting anyone wear all these items at once! It's just a collection of finds from the internet that I find lovely.

1. The purple leather cuff can be found on squidoo.com

2, 3, 4. The fabulously flirty dress, necklace and pillow may all be found at Anthropologie

5. I found the Sasha bobby pins very charming found at Etsy store NinjaBowTique

6. These shoes are simply fabulous and eco-friendly to boot. I own a similar pair. They are made of natural silk with certified organic cotton laces and souls made from recycled car tires. I love mine. Simple Shoes.

7. I fell in love with this rings simplicity and deep color. You can find it in Etsy at UntamedStone's shop.

All images are property of their respective companies.

Wired

2009-08-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

I found this fabulous lamp while browsing through the Anthropologie site today. It is the most delicate and whimsical lamp I have ever seen. See the Chateau Lamp at http://www.anthropologie.com

Tree Graffiti

2009-07-09T16:33:00.001-07:00

Graffiti
Originally uploaded by Jilly Jack Designs

Can you call this typography? I think you can. I shot this while on a hike with the family last year. It has my initials in it, so that's why I took the shot. They were high up in the tree, so they must be about pretty old. It's fun to think about the people who made the marks and if whomever hearted Sean still does. I did feel sorry for the tree, but it seemed to be healthy despite all the scarring.

Dahlia

2009-07-06T09:58:00.001-07:00

This was taken in my back yard. I love the vibrant fuschia color against the blurred bright green background. It makes me happy!
Dahlia
Originally uploaded by Jilly Jack Designs

Rug or art? I say both!

2009-06-29T11:25:00.001-07:00

Is there nothing she can't do. Eva Zeisel is now creating flooring. Her art translates so wonderfully into any medium. These wonderful rugs are entirely handmade from the wool of Tibetan sheep. Available at The Rug Company.

Eye Candy

2009-06-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

Gum drops anyone? I love these gum drop pillows from Amy Butler. I admire her amazing sense of color and pattern. Sewing patterns are available at http://tinyurl.com/dkh7cd

Summer Inspiration

2009-06-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

Watermelon means summer to me. I have fallen in love with this particular watermelon. Its name is PureHeart and you can see why, the lovely little heart shaped surprise when you cut into it.

Inspired by Vintage Glass

2009-06-18T11:42:00.001-07:00

Here is a glass that is part of a set my Grandmother gave me. I love them, they are so beautiful. I love the balance of the sturdy black stems and the delicate thin glass. I imagine dinner parties where ladies and gentlemen drank iced tea and cocktails from their rims while engaging in lively conversation. What stories they could tell. They are so delicate that I just use them to display found treasures like these chandelier crystals purchased at a favorite antique store.

The Egg Chair

2009-04-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

Need I say more? I aspire to own an egg chair one day. Last year was the 50th anniversary of the egg chair, designed by Danish Architect Arne Jacobsen in 1958 and manufactured by Fritz Hansen. Go to the following link to see more great pics. http://www.notcot.com/archives/2008/01/50_years_of_the.php

Inspired by Renior

2009-04-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

A print of Renior's Bouquet of Spring Flowers painted in 1866 hung in my childhood home. It wasn't until a college art history course that I discovered the identity of it's creator. I never had paid much attention to it, it was just something that had always hung in our dining room. So to all you moms out there, maybe it does matter what we choose to put on our walls. Who knows what type of artist we may be fostering. Thanks mom, for choosing wisely!

If you'd like to learn more about Renoir or just revisit some of his paintings you can view them at http://www.renoiruncovered.com

Eva

2009-02-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

I am in true awe of Eva Zeisel. She is an inspiration to me. To still be designing at 102 at such a high level is amazing.

Eva Zeisel: Distinguished By Design from Jeremy Bales on Vimeo.

Love is Sticky

2009-02-17T07:24:00.000-08:00

I must confess my love for sticky-notes! My husband and I are pretty much obsessed with office supplies. It's strange, I know, but there it is. I use these little guys all the time. They work great for brainstorming new ideas. I've heard you need to generate a lot of trash to get to the treasure. So you can easily jot down each idea on tiny sticky notes and toss individual ideas out and rearrange the rest. A large sheet of paper can be intimidating, so this takes care of that issue as well.

Inspired by yellow

2009-02-08T12:25:00.000-08:00

I'm am always inspired by nature. This shot in particular is so great in many ways. But most of all is that fact that it's yellow. Yellow is the new "it" color. Combined with a dark color for contrast. So of course dark brown works fabulously, as seen in this photo. Yellow can also be seen paired with dark shades of gray, navy, purple, green and black. A lot of people aren't fond of yellow, but I say take another look. There are a ton of great inexpensive textiles, accessories and paints available.

My Exotic Plant?

2009-02-03T06:41:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of what I thought surely must have been some type of tropical plant growing from one of our fir trees. It was so fragrant and wonderful. I set out to do a full search to find it's name. I found nothing. I went to take another photo to show some folks and I found this awesome caterpillar. I then abandoned my search for the plant and focused on the caterpillar. Well my search for the identification of the caterpillar led me to the i.d. of my wonderful plant. Much to my dismay it ended up being a milk weed plant. Yes, my exotic plant was a weed. But not just any weed, it is the only plant that the monarch butterflies eat and lay their eggs on. My caterpillar would soon become a lovely butterfly! Upon learning my plant was really a weed, my initial reaction would have been to pull it, even though I had originally thought it to be wonderful. Don't let other's prejudices change your way of looking at things. You can find inspiration in anything, even a common weed, if you just take the time to look.