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May 14, 2010

Stamp of Approval

Thankyoutag2 Hh1Stickercombo Warning: you're going to want to make a purchase after you read this post. These sophisticated rubber stamps by Holly's Houses have a very Charlotte Moss vibe to them. Holly Anne Rolfe is the daughter of an architect and has been drawing images of homes for as long as she can recall. Holly studied illustration at London's Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design and shows no sign of stopping in her quest to express herself through pen and ink. If you've been looking for the perfect gift for someone special in your life, this is surely the source.

Imagine adding chic little thank you notes brandishing this stamp on aged parchment tethered to your gifts with tiny little bits of twine. It's an incredible finishing touch. It shows you care and you've planned ahead. The stamped image is indeed a little ink drawing of your home. Can you imagine how great this is as a gift? I can already think of at least to people n my life who need this.

But rather than just limit it to your own home, there's no reason it couldn't be the personalized image you use on your wedding invitations and correspondence. Imagine a little drawing of the church in which you'll say your vows. Or possibly the front door of your new home or the combo mailbox/flower bed of your summer retreat. Your little one's treehouse or maybe even an illustration of your new puppy's adorable dog house. Regardless, you need this. It's just too posh to let an idea this charming go unused. Learn more about Holly on her blog.

Posted at 07:33 AM in architecture, art, coolfinding, designers, eco-friendly, glamorous gifts, graphic design, illustrations, photography, stationery, style, things to do before I die | | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

November 05, 2009

Animal Attraction

Picture 67 Have you ever seen an item and wondered how on earth you can find yourself attracted to it? Such is the case with this faux fur Juicy Couture puffer vest. Let's back up a moment...when did I start trolling the Juicy merchandise lineup? This is now the second or third item I've pointed out to you lately that I like. Scratch that... this will be the second or third item that I want to own. But moving on... a puffer vest? It's not like I live in Montana where it snows six feet on my birthday ( in June). I'm a warmer temps girl with every intention of staying that way. So aside from a few fleeting fantasies of Zurich or Geneva, you won't find me on a snowy drift anytime soon. Picture 73 No...instead I can already see myself in line at Starbucks on a slightly chilly day (say... 50 degrees with no snowflake in sight) with my skinny jeans, boots and this (somehow) irresistable vest. Hooded. Fur-lined. Puffy. Vest. I can't explain it. But I've got to have it. I'm craving it. What's worse is that I've seen these people in line. Dressed as if it's an ice storm outside when the rest of us are enjoying unseasonably warm temps. Unless they're about to board a private jet for the Alps (and, no doubt some of them may well be), these fashionistas owe us an explanation and maybe an apology. Am I really ready to become one of them? Doesn't a puffy vest of this sort almost require you to wear UGGS or at least some form of fur lined boot? It seems to me that the two crimes usually go hand in hand. Can one really commit just one offense without the other following quickly behind? Is this puffy vest the slippery slope that will lead me to a closet of velour track suits and a flats? No... no... there shall be no UGGS in my closet nor any sign of a warmup suit - but this vest must be mine. It must. Inexplicably, it must be mine. 

For all of our (okay, my) enlightened moments, it's times like this I have to admit that there are primal forces at work beneath the surface. If this silly urge of mine is any indication, we're not so different from our animals friends after all.

If you're behind me in line for coffee anytime soon on a pleasant fall day, please resist the urge to giggle at my puffy vest. After all, no animals were harmed in the creation. Just a tiny bit of my dignity, that's all. 

Posted at 06:17 AM in eco-friendly, fabulousness, fashion, note to self, observations, style | | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

August 20, 2009

Interview with Brent of Card Sharks: Part Deux

Picture 32 It is always a privilege to discover the driving force behind a successful business, a great idea and an active mind. Brent boasts experience in all three areas. Here is part two of his revealing interview:

I'm impressed at the concept of card "collections" rather than just individual designs. I can't say I've seen that anywhere else. Each group is so different from the others. What brought on the idea of the separate collections? Why that approach?

Collections - where do I begin. I have been collecting since I was a kid. i collect everything from Pez to old tin globes.  In our designing of the cards we decided to do them in series, in part because some of the images that we found came in series, and in part because we thought it was conceptually unique and would set us apart. Our hope is that we have created sets of cards and packaging that are cool enough to keep - so collect them all!

Picture 20 You work with a variety of different designers and yet, there's a cohesive design thread that spans every collection. What is that process like?  How do you keep the overall look of the products unified without limiting the creativity of contributing designers or yourselves?

We use a variety of artists but the overall design of the cards and box sets is done by myself and my son. We are the ones who put it all together and so we are able to weave a cohesive look into all the design elements. We have focused a lot of our effort on creating packaging that has a consistent look and feel with the cards. We do most of the writing in-house and try to keep it crisp and clean as well.  We are always open to new ideas but don't want to compromise our design aesthetic.

I love your commitment to "green" by using 10% post-consumer content and encouraging customers to keep the packaging by making it as attractive as the products themselves. How do you see the green movement affecting your business?

The "green movement" is huge and will get even bigger, you can count on it. We felt it an absolute necessity to use recycled and recyclable materials in our product line. We could have printed the packaging and cards on a cheaper paper stock that had no post-consumer content but felt that would limit our options in the long run. We will do more in future offerings to be more earth-friendly and consumer-conscience.

Picture 23 What's next for Card Sharks? Any upcoming lines or new products you want to leak to the press? :)

We have been working on our next round of ideas. We have some wonderful artists lined up and some great ideas in the hopper. We are also exploring other types of partnerships as well. Stay tuned.

You know the drill, kiddos. Save 20% on any purchases using promo code VENTISHARKS and/or enter to win a set of boxed cards on Life in a Sippy Cup. Must enter prior to Friday at midnight!

Posted at 07:57 AM in contest, designers, eco-friendly, graphic design, illustrations, interviews | | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

August 19, 2009

Interview with Brent of Card Sharks: Part One

Picture 16 In the midst of his busy season, I was able to score an interview with Brent of Card Sharks. He is both owner and one of the creative designers behind these playful greeting cards. Find out what makes this active mind tick:
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Every graphic designer I know (self-included) has at some point thought the idea of designing greeting cards would be a wonderful way to express their creativity.  What inspired you to begin Card Sharks? What's the story behind the brand?

"I have been designing cards for my wife for years. I try to create cards for her that are unique and capture the feelings I have. Our friends and family who would see these cards would often tell me that they would love to be able to buy cards like them. My son began working with me several years ago and we got to talking about greeting cards and thought why not give it a shot. There just wasn't that much out there, in a greeting card kind of way, that appealed so we began working on concepts and designs. We prototyped a bunch if these ideas, showed them around and things just kind of took off from there."


Picture 24 The Card Sharks look is very different from any other card products I've seen. How would you describe the "look" of your products? 

"Well, I have worked with some amazing illustrators over the years. I thought why not see if they would be interested in partnering with us in this business. That was critical in my view. Great art coupled with crisp, clean design. We have been so fortunate to work with these talented artists. They produce beautiful, clever, and unique pieces that capture the attention and tickle the fancy. We design around these images to complete the card and package, hoping to create something that would be just as artistic."  


Picture 25 Creative types are all just a little different. I tend to need to see new things all of the time to draw inspiration. Magazines, new locations, shoes... you name it. Where do you go for new ideas? Are there things you do? Places you go? Sites you visit online?

"Our inspiration comes from the world of art and design - books, catalogs, magazines, web sites, blogs, museums, art events, and our own imaginations. There is so much wonderful art out there that there really is no end to great ideas." 


He's right. There is so much available in our surroundings to inspire great ideas. Never underestimate a stack of magazines, a change in your normal routine or a drive through a new area to spark your imagination. Stay tuned tomorrow for the rest of the interview with Brent to discover how he collaborates with other creatives and how the green movement is impacting his business.
You have until Friday to enter the Sippy Cup / Card Sharks giveaway. Or shop now and save 20% off your entire purchase just for entering promo code VENTISHARKS

Posted at 07:27 AM in art, design, designers, eco-friendly, graphic design, great people, illustrations, interviews | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

August 12, 2009

Shark Attack

Picture 68Picture 62 Picture 61  Picture 59 Picture 58 Months ago Card Sharks got my attention. Their cards are edgy, cool, colorful and...well, just different. I can't quite put my finger on what makes these so unique, but they serve as evidence that creativity in our culture is alive and well.

It is my great pleasure to announce to you that they are partnering with Life in a Sippy Cup for a truly incredible giveaway. Two lucky winners will win a box of their wonderfully clever cards. One happy contestant will win a set of Little Beasties and the other proud reader will run off with a set of Animal Alphabet cards.

Swing by Sippy Cup to enter! {At this point I must confess that I'm a wee bit sad I can't enter myself. These are just so impossibly cute!}

Also...Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with the creative minds at play behind the designs.

Posted at 01:51 PM in contest, designers, eco-friendly, entrepreneurs, graphic design, great people, illustrations | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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May 19, 2009

Pedal Pushers

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There's something ridiculously fun abut the idea of an Hermès bicycle. I mean... at $4000 for a "one size fits most" frame, it had better do all of the cycling for me. True, there are the finer details which I've skipped over. The glorious orange lacquered stainless steel. The touches of Taurillon Clemence leather on the seat and handles. The unmistakable orangeness of it all.

This is exactly the type of creation that I want someone to own. I'd like to think that there's a couple who packed up their corporate lifestyle, moves to the south of France and ride into town every other day on their matching Hermès bikes. I like to imagine they've outfitted them with leather baskets on the side of the rear wheel well that allows them to bring home bottles of wine, fresh fromage and other necessary provisions.

On days when they aren't entertaining friends, they'll tool around on the coast and venture where no cars could possibly venture, all whilst practicing their now nearly fluent French. To this couple, this pair of tangerine cycles were a worthy investment. Transportation. Necessities. A commitment to their new life. A better life. Anything else would be downright uncivilized. Don't you think?

Posted at 12:49 PM in culture, destinations, eco-friendly, globetrotting, leisure, life, luxury, things to do before I die | | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

April 25, 2009

Birkenstocks Not Required

Zemjoaquinportrait
DesignSponge has an excellent interview with ecofabulous founder Zem Joaquin. It was refreshing to read that she once rejected her enviro-friendly upbringing. It brought me to fully appreciate what she's trying to accomplish with he ecofabulous brand... basically, that you don't have to live in a teepee in the woods and reject all advancements made my mankind to be environmentally sensitive. Best of all, I didn't see the issue of partisan politics mentioned once in the article.

So two thumbs up for a great interview. And be sure to check out ecofabulous. Even I, a meat-eating, leather-wearing, non-hybrid driving fashionista, can get beind the blended lifestyle she's promoting. Now... go forth and be a bit better to the world this weekend without once compromising your style.

Posted at 08:16 AM in eco-friendly, events, fashion, luxury, style, trends | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)