lotta jansdotter

another great calendar and more items designed by lotta jansdotter.

guitar drink stir

i just had to share these little guitar drink coolers. i'm tempted to throw a party just so i'd have an excuse to use them.

john kuzich

john kuzich has received over 15,000 used muni passes from bay area residents since he posted flyers around san francisco requesting them for an art project. he's put together a collage and plans to continue creating more pieces. it's really interesting to see all the colors and patterns. i carry my muni pass with me all month and each day i use it i have a different experience...rushing to school, waiting for the bus in the rain, traveling with a friend, etc. i like that this piece is a collection of all of the experiences of people around us. instead of muni continuing with their striped passes, it would be really fun if they accepted artwork from the community each month.

parvez taj

i'm really drawn to the bright colors, texture and layering that parvez taj has applied to these antiqued italian tiles. each one creates a little scene with tons of detail and layers. he uses film, software, and ultra violet ink on these antiqued italian tiles. there is more interesting work on his website.

electra bikes

i could go on and on about these electra bikes but i'm going to sum it up and say that they're awesome and you should check them out. their great design is inspired by the bikes of the 1950's but with updated features such as being lightweight and easy to maneuver. one reminds me so much of the red schwinn i had as a kid that i'm tempted to ditch my car (sorry little jet) for one of these cruisers. no more gas, pollution, parking tickets, parking spots, oil changes, dmv, or locking and unlocking my car from the passenger side! wait...no cup holder? nevermind.

sail bags

sail bags are crafted from retired sails. each bag is different and includes an interior tag identifying the vessel type, sail type, and sea or ocean traveled. the bags are extremely durable and usually have unique markings from their former lives as sails.

freitag products

freitag products are made from original recycled materials – used truck tarps, used car seat belts, used air bags and used bicycle inner tubes. because the materials are tough, the products are too. every single freitag product is a one of a kind piece. you can either order a bag that's already been assembled or use their online tool to create and order your own.

esquire magazine

i am rarely inspired by the design on magazine covers because they typically lack good typography and information architecture, the art and science of organizing content. the photography is usually much more successful in engaging my interest. today i was perusing the magazine rack and stumbled upon esquire. i don't know whether it was the typography or george clooney that initially caught my attention but regardless, the layout was awesome. there's depth AND contrast...on a magazine! so, naturally i did a little googling and found out that i might actually be one of the last designers to pick up on this. esquire has been producing award winning design for YEARS. nice. well, it's great and you should take a look at their archive. i didn't read the magazine but i was tempted. nice work designers ;)

my do it

i finally bought a desk and it inspired me to make more updates to my room. i wanted to find some type of bulletin board to hang above my new desk. i'm not sure if you've shopped for something similar but the only options out there are either very gross or very expensive. i took a trip to an art store on my day off and decided to wrap the boards in some fun paper. the bulletin boards were $15 and the paper was $5. it took 10 minutes and some tape. take that martha.

rosa loves: t-shirts for a cause

rosa loves creates clothing for a purpose by raising money for individuals in our community. they use their creativity and resources to promote awareness. it's a reminder that our minor contributions can make a big difference to people we live among everyday.

the t-shirt above is connected with a story through the company's good friend who traveled to south africa this past summer shooting a documentary film called walking on water.

here is a statement from their site:
the main idea that took shape was the issue of who, exactly, would benefit from the money that was raised through shirt sales. instead of donating to larger charity organizations that were already established and had financial support through other ways - it would go to specific individuals with needs in the community around us. it was in agreement that even though there are many wonderful organizations that are doing great, meaningful, and life-changing work, the public can already donate through other avenues - and the cause of the donation seems a little far removed from our reality. It's usually thoughts like,"those people over there" that perpetuate a sense of complacency and lack of concern. rosa loves wants to shed light on the stories around us, to give them a real face, a real name.

dolamakes and shinzi katoh housewares

happy first day of spring! i thought it would be a good time to share some handmade housewares by two great artists with designs that are very appropriate for this season. the set of white mugs were hand painted by dolamakes with charming designs of birds on a wire. japanese artist, shinzi katoh, designed the bowl and mug. they are among many fantastic products that he has created.

hello peacock wooden postcards

these wooden postcards by hello peacock are sliced very thin to produce a large quantity from a small amount of raw material. as a result, no water & very little power are used.

creative business card design

it sure is refreshing to see some playful solutions to business cards. these were designed by jose antonio contreras.

black pearl press

another charming letterpress calender! they seem pretty ubiquitous these days but perhaps that's because i'm seeking them out ;) black pearl press is in boston's south end and is presumably named after the antique golden pearl presses they use to print. i really like the packaging that has been created to hold the cards.

pingg online invitations

finally, a well designed alternative to evite! pingg has some great invite styles for events. their website has a fresh and organized look that makes it easy to navigate.

hot and cold mug

this mug by charles & marie is too cool for me...i mean hot. it changes from black to white as the temperature rises!

eyes open travel guides

the IDEO eyes open travel guides offer a new approach to the way we travel by using a first-hand perspective. the features were selected by the IDEO team and include a broad range of unexpected and eclectic sights and shops. they are well designed and include great photos. you can purchase them through chronicle books. there's also a website: ideoeyesopen.com.

dear laptop, i don't think we should see each other anymore

i've really enjoyed our relationship but i miss my independence. we've been through a lot together: late nights, long airplane flights, miscommunication, but i just don't think i'm ready to commit and i'm feeling smothered by the amount of time we spend together. i'm still young and there are other electronics that i could be using. i understand that this might be an awkward transition for us considering we live, work and attend school together, but i think it's for the best. i think you're a really great laptop and it would be nice if we could be friends.

take care of your hard drive,
a tired grad student

luella press

luella press has a beautiful selection of engraved wedding invitations. engraving is a craft dating back to the 16th century, created by carving a design into a hard, flat surface. the result is a finely detailed, raised design that you can see and feel. you can find letterpress printed products everywhere these days but engraved stationery is a little harder to track down.

susy jack boutique

i'm not sure if you know this about me but i love calendars. everything from new printing methods, sizes, and graphics to planning for the future is very exciting to me. luckily many designers share this affinity for information design. i stumbled upon an adorable online boutique called susy jack and found a calendar that's a perfect example of my little obsession.

an unexpected meeting with stefan sagmeister

earlier this week i found out that stefan sagmeister, the famous graphic designer, would be speaking in the bay area the following night. i mentioned this to my friend who informed me that they were friends. she contacted him to see if he had any extra time in his schedule and before i knew it the three of us were having coffee. we talked for a couple hours about design, his new book, and whatever popped into our heads. it's hard to define or categorize stefan sagmeister as a designer so check out a few of my favorite projects: identity for casa de musica in portugal, seed media group identity, the adobe design award poster (above) made with thousands of coffee cups. later that evening we attended his talk at stanford university and learned even more about his perspectives on work, challenges he's faced with specific projects, and his new book, my life so far. i've listed the twenty things he feels he has learned in life so far...

Helping other people helps me.

Having guts always works out for me.

Thinking that life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now.

Organising a charity group is surprisingly easy.

Being not truthful always works against me.

Everything I do always comes back to me.

Assuming is stifling.

Drugs feel great in the beginning and become a drag later on.

Over time I get used to everything and start taking for granted.

Money does not make me happy.

My dreams have no meaning.

Keeping a diary supports personal development.

Trying to look good limits my life.

Material luxuries are best enjoyed in small doses.

Worrying solves nothing.

Complaining is silly. Either act or forget.

Everybody thinks they are right.

If I want to explore a new direction professionally, it is helpful to try it out for myself first.

Low expectations are a good strategy.

Everybody who is honest is interesting.

annie leibovitz: a photographer's life, 1990-2005

i took some time out this morning to visit the annie leibovitz exhibit at the legion of honor in san francisco. as a longtime leibovitz fan, it was wonderful to see the original prints up-close. the tones, lighting, large format, and full frame photographs carry a depth and impact that surpass the reproductions in her books and magazine assignments. the selection includes more than 200 images of pop culture icons and intimate family shots of her parents, children, and susan sontag. leibovitz studied painting at the san francisco art institute in the 60s. the exhibition runs through may 25th.

egg press stationery

egg press is one of my all-time favorite design studios. tess darrow started the portland company in 1999. their hand-made letterpress cards stand out from the rest because of their charming illustrations, unique card shapes, die-cuts, and thick, soft paper.

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quiplip stationery

don't be fooled by the elegant typography, the semimentals line of quiplip cards uses sassy and unexpected phrases.

ork posters

jenny beorkrem, a graphic designer in chicago, founded ork posters after creating a typographic neighborhood poster of chicago for herself. the posters are a modern alternative to vintage maps. if you live in chicago, brooklyn, manhattan, san francisco or boston you're in luck because she's designed a poster for you. ork posters donates 2% of all sales to river action and heal africa.

flowie bags

yaling hou, an academy of art university graduate, started a fabrics, bags, and home accessories company called flowie. the fabrics are hand screen printed and sewn in the bay area.

madebygirl stationery

who could be better than chocolate? i think i'll hold on to this one for now. i love jennifer ramos' clever phrases and bright colors. madebygirl has a wide selection of card designs and posters and donates a percentage of sales to stopglobalwarming.org