Life in a Venti Cup. Because life is too short to think small.

April 10, 2011

Show Me Your Dallas, Sandra Evans

As if sensing my need for a leisurely morning with a good friend, Sandra Evans stepped up the plate this Friday with my pitch perfect morning. For those of you just tuning in, I've been exploring Dallas through the eyes of locals. These are girls I've met over the years through blogging, twitter and facebook. In most cases, however, this is our first opportunity to meet in person. Since we relocated I've been building up my army of girlfriends one outing at a time. While the elevator pitch is to see the city and the sights, the real goal is and has always been to have a little fun shopping as only two girls can. For me it's the best way to bond and - if I'm really being honest - my favorite way to spend a day.

What began as an adventure quickly turned into a crazed schedule. I was even interviewed Wednesday by the Dallas Morning News for the endeavor. Seems I'm tapping into a common curiosity among those new to the area as well as those born and bred in the area. In just a few short weeks my days went from laid back to fully packed.

Sandra must have been reading my mind, as her only agenda for us on Friday was to stroll through my favorite shopping center, Highland Park Village. For those not in the know, this is a historic shopping center is a national landmark. Highland Park is Dallas's answer to Beverly Hills. Both were designed by architect Wilbur David Cook. The unique Mediterranean Spanish-style shopping center is a blissful mix of high-end & mid-range shopping with a laid-back vibe that only an outdoor shopping center can deliver. Sandwiched between Chanel and Hermès is a Tom Thumb grocery store and an independent movie theater. For all of the luxury (and there is plenty) the canopy of trees overhead and slow bustle of happy people milling about always has a calming effect on me.

We kicked it off at Starbucks where we spent no time jumping right into conversation about ... well, everything. Sandra is every bit as talented and stylish in person as you'd expect. Not only does she teach graphic design, she also co-owns Small Envelope with Cesar Aragón. They specialize in absolutely gorgeous invitations. She even brought along a sampling of the goods to show me. Incredible work, from a fiercely talented designer.

The more you chat with Sandra the more you realize what a rockstar you have in your midst. Between keeping professional photographer husband Mark happy and teaching her students the tools of the trade she is a panelist at Big Thought, a nonbprofit focused on giving children the opportunities they need in life. Like most of my friends, she's in constant motion, but somehow manages to carve out time for her girls - gotta love that.

But wait... on to the shopping! We didn't make it far on Friday. We spent way too long at Anthropologie noting a dress I'd seen on Tori Spelling this past week and ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the adorable gifts and books for kids. After plundering the sale racks like pros (and coming up empty handed, natch) we headed back out into the plaza for some quick shoe shopping. A quick dash into Tory Burch and a swing past Harry Winston and Hermès we'd already run out of time.

Sandra, next time we're hitting the other side of the plaza and scheduling time for lunch as well. See you soon, doll, and thank you for showing me your Dallas!

Posted at 11:54 AM in architecture, celebrities, dallas, design, graphic design, leisure, luxury, photography, shoes, shopping, show me your dallas | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)

May 14, 2010

Stamp of Approval

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, glamorous gifts, graphic design, illustrations, photography, stationery, style, things to do before I die | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

May 03, 2010

'Tis Far Better To Give Than To Receive

It's well before noon on Monday in most parts of the globe, but here's a cheers to Connie Limoncelli of Sogni e Sorrisi for winning the Love Me Knot Mother's Day giveaway. I can't wait to see which artwork combination you choose. In addition to being a delightful commenter, Connie is a generous soul. Her blog (the title of which translates to Dreams and Smiles) is filled with amazing giveaways, thoughful insights on design and a clear appreciation for beautiful creations. It is, in fact, packed with dreams and smiles. It's always nice when someone you adore wins a prize. Connie, congratulations and thank you for your continued support of my blog. Grazie! Pssst... there's still time to win one more prize! Check out the Love & Luck Giveaway. You have until tomorrow at midnight to drop a comment for a chance to win an amazng prize pack of greeting cards from boutique firm Love & Luck. It doesn't get more creative than these beautiful cards designed by a powerfully creative duo. With a little love & luck, you might be the winner! Happy Monday everyone!

{top image via the Daily Green}

Posted at 07:55 AM in art, contest, design, designers, entrepreneurs, events, fabulousness, graphic design, holidays, home accessories, stationery | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

February 09, 2010

Well-Scripted

The beautiful prints above are from MyFonts.com, showcasing some of the year's freshest faces and popular type styles. Show them some love!

Posted at 09:10 AM in designers, graphic design, observations, style, technology | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

January 31, 2010

Umbrella, Ella, Ella...

Astonishingly, tomorrow is the first day of February. This means that spring and those famed April showers are not far behind. While the rank and file will be schlepping around town with the standard black umbrella, you can guarantee you'll stand out with one of these Jordi Labanda designed beauties. With such a cheery shelter from the rain, you're likely to forget all about that bad hair day you're having. Bring on the rain, baby!

Get more Jordi here.

Posted at 04:03 PM in designers, glamorous gifts, graphic design, illustrations, life | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

January 21, 2010

Critics aside, I'm a Fan

While those in the industry may be bashing this ad, I think it's a breath of fresh air. True, it may only appeal to fashionistas like myself... but I'm going to guess we are the ones steering our significant others to book the hotel stay in the first place. Still not sure what you're looking at? It's an ad for the Mandarin Oriental composed solely of outfits and their respective accessories on a simple black background. If you're a planner like me, you've no doubt sketched out (or at least written out) your outfits for the week (including those "just in case I bump into Madonna and get invited to join her at a party" threads). This idea is bone simple, but both inspires me to pack prettier things and makes me want to plan a trip (to a Mandarin location) for an excuse to wear them. If that's not a successful ad, I'm not sure what is. Kudos to LONDON advertising for the crisp design!

Posted at 09:58 AM in art, design, graphic design | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

August 20, 2009

Interview with Brent of Card Sharks: Part Deux

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!

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.

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, graphic design, illustrations, interviews | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

August 19, 2009

Interview with Brent of Card Sharks: Part One

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:

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."

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."

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, graphic design, illustrations, interviews | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

August 18, 2009

Spelling Bee

The Card Sharks giveaway ends Friday night. It is a very generous prize package for two lucky winners. But now they've upped the stakes and offered 20% off your entire purchase just for entering promo code VENTISHARKS. Go see the imaginative works available in their online boutique. Oh... and the designer interview will be posted shortly. Stay tuned!

Posted at 07:18 AM in art, contest, coolfinding, designers, graphic design, illustrations, interviews, shopping | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

August 14, 2009

Perfectly Pressed

As much as I love emailing, blogging and texting (and I do love to text!), nothing compares to a handwritten note. There's soething almost magical about getting something in the mail that someone has taken the time two personally write out with ink. Handwriting says something about the person. The words have so much meaning. How was it signed? With a sufficient "sincerely" or with a meaningful "love always" above the name?

Lately it seems some are even too busy to add much more text to a pre-printed birthday card. Just a simple, "Happy Birthday" written beneath the content of the card. Are we really so busy, so self-involved, so disconnected?

Take a moment, make a connection, write a letter, send a card, say thank you, deepen a friendship or build a new one. Just try it. You may even find that you enjoy it.

I might add one more thing... if you feel uninspired to write I am going to assume you don't possess a correspondence set that is pretty enough. Trust me, if you obtain a collection of paper goods pretty enough, you'll be jumping at the chance to show the world how fabulous your paper goods look. On the other hand... those of you still clinging to your ever-stylish Mrs. Strong pieces, I'll give you a pass. Hold on to them... they are most certainly collectors items to be cherished.

{Lovely cards above were found at Thornwillow, which sounds appropriately British but is actually located in New York.}

Posted at 08:22 AM in graphic design, leisure, observations, stationery, style | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

August 12, 2009

Shark Attack

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, entrepreneurs, graphic design, illustrations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Technorati Tags: card sharks, designers, eco-friendly, giveaway, greeting cards, interview

June 29, 2009

You Will Be Taught To Fly

"When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop of into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.”

Talk about a powerful quote. I think it ties in nicely to the message of this post. For over a year I've been quietly working on building my own online boutique. It began as an idea when I was expecting the arrival of my daughter. It was just a loosely formed thought, but I could not shake it from my mind. Instantly I knew the name of the shop, the vibe, the essential look it should have. I knew I would have to build this store and make it happen.

But until you put the hours in, an idea is really just that: a thought. How on earth was this going to happen? How could I fit this into my already packed schedule? And more importantly, what exactly was I going to have in the store? I've had many ideas on this and many attempts to see it come to fruition. In the end, I actually designed and built the boutique before my daughter was born.

The challenge: I hadn't quite nailed down what I would carry or how to handle the logistics of selling other people's creations. I spoke to many vendors, many talented people and danced with many (many, many) iterations of the original idea. And while I found many amazing products I could display in the shop, it seemed I was reinventing the wheel, as they were already for sale elsewhere. Why was I reinventing the wheel? It just wasn't adding up.

Many months later that initial seed of an idea has now bloomed into something much more meaningful and far more personal. In an odd way I'm happy it took so long to complete the project. It gave me time to distill the idea to a clear, elegant concept.
So...what's the skinny? It's simple, actually. Occasionally, in lieu of buying art for our home or office I end up creating pieces of my own. Sometimes it is the only way to get the desired result. Some of the designs offer bits of wisdom, some remind you to get out and explore the most fabulous destinations this planet boasts, and others are simply meant to be beautiful. (Hey, there's nothing wrong with just sitting there looking pretty.) Each design is colorful, happy and intended to inspire.After assembling a collection of work, it seemed only logical to share them with you. In short, I'm presenting to you a collection of modern prints I have personally designed. That's right, hipsters. I'm offering you some Venti Cup-style design for your own bad selves. After much delay, many long nights and much fussing over details, I proudly present to you...the Venti Cafe, my own little boutique! And here's the best part: 10% of the proceeds from the Venti Cafe are going to a charity very near and dear to my heart. This has become the driving motivator for this project and I hope you feel the same compassion I do for this cause. It truly made an impact on my life and I feel a deep need to give back.