b l o g o r e l l i

PROJECT 365: DAY 341

There is just nothing like Anthropologie's visual displays -- and they really go all out for the holidays.

Extra credit:

Project 365: Day 316

BIG and exciting field trip today with Cho, Bobby, and BBKs as we accompanied to the Member Preview of the new Art of the Americas wing at the MFA Boston. In case you aren't local or haven't heard (since the opening transcends the Boston art scene,) the MFA raised $504 million dollars to expand the musuem by 53 new galleries. The press has been massive and very positive.

After visiting this morning, I can see why everyone is in a swoon -- the new building overall, and galleries especially, are amazing (be sure to check out the "invisible" Italian glass cases. Even though the visit only lasted a few hours, I definitely plan to go back for a more thorough walk-through. On a personal note, Cho works in the MFA design department, who put in mucho effort to create all the collateral for the opening, including new maps, the *gorgeous* suite of invitations to all of the opening events, and numerous other pieces...so to her and Jill, a big KUDOS and CONGRATS!

Extra credit:

Project 365: Day 300

An impromptu sculpture park right around the corner from the Sam Adams Brewery in JP.

Project 365: Day 290

I was totally excited about the layover between Boston and Barcelona at JFK in NYC, because we'd have two hours to check out TWA Terminal 5. That feeling lasted exactly the time that it took The Prof and I to exit security, ride the tram to T5, walk over only to find that the main (and coolest) building is not open to the public, ride the tram back, go through security again, and walk to our gate -- basically our whole layover, harumph.

Project 365: Day 242

A recent ebay score from my newest Scandinavian design crush, Kaj Franck. So far I've only managed to win this Renaissance Bowl, the others on my list are his Mushroom Bowl, and Flowers Pitcher. Funny coincidence is, Bobby Crocker's mom has been serving dinner sides in this bowl for the past 10 (!) years that I've been going to the lake. I only recently discovered her exquisite taste in mod dinner vessels when I read a Design Observer post about Design Research, a 1970s-era store in Cambridge MA.

Project 365: Day 146

Poster for a June company event (my first)...I love the old school "wood type" look

Project 365: Day 143

A Design Dept field trip to see Paula Scher speak at the Boston AIGA's Inside the Designer's Studio. I love when famous designers (although I am fairly against the designers-as-superstars mentality) actually end up being down to earth. Paula's advice for designers?

"Be honest. You have nothing to lose."

So true.

Project 365: Day 108

Despite my new palette knife and Pantone Formula books, I had a helluva time mixing PMS 7405 yesterday. This morning, I'm back -- and using the 'dab' method (shown above as 16 yellow, 1/4 red, 1/8 black.) Next time, I might just order a custom mix.

Letterheady

I love it when people decide to focus very specifically on an aspect of design, and run with it...like Letterheady, a site that showcases "Interesting Letterhead Design." I could (and well, did) spend an hour looking at all the samples of mostly celebrated people's private stationery. I can't help being a bit sad, though, that written notes (and the need for stationery in general) are the exception and no longer the rule in our contemporary electronic correspondence society.

Project 365: Day 89

The Target Easter graphics, this year clearly influenced by their partnership with the Liberty for London label. Just a thought, since LofL managed to plaster every possible thing with their flowery graphic patterns, is there some reason that they overlooked an obvious application -- wrapping paper?

Supervised Destruction (and Renewal)

Hiya Inter-net,

Anyone out there want to take an upholstery class with me this summer at The Eliot School in JP? You and I, together, could "Learn the art and craft of fine upholstery, working with your own pieces of furniture. The class covers stripping, spring tie-off, covering, cushions and the use of materials and tools including sewing machines."

Lookee! Apartment Therapy thinks that you should, and someone even blogged about the experience (seems positive.)

10 sessions for $240 and one reupholstered piece of furniture as a reward...you (and I) will never question that curbside salvage habit again.

(image via The Eliot School) 

Crafty Monday w. Japanese Masking Tape

As a holiday gift, my co-worker JBC gave me a set of Japanese Masking Tape -- 10 rolls in all! I had previously ordered some marigold colored patterned tape from Ginko Papers, hoping to use it somehow for our wedding, but never did. With TEN rolls, I've been on the lookout for a worthy project...so lucky for me that I came across The Haystack Needle's post on tape tags.

(images via The Haystack Needle) 

Basically, you use plain manilla (or another color, but the lighter the better since the masking tape is slightly transparent) tags, decorate with a strip or two of artfully placed masking tape, and voila! Gift tag, calling or business card, etc...

(image via MintDesignBlog) 

One thing that I'd like to see, though, is the backside of these pieces because the tape has to be attached as an edge somewhere. (Note: Japanese Masking Tape also makes a spectacular gift, and here are a few suppliers: Ginko Papers, Sweet Bella USA, Happy Tape)

Drop in the Cap

 aily Drop Cap is a fun niche website run by typographer and illustrator Jessica Hische. Every weekday, she posts a new initial cap letter or ornament for online usage (Creative Commons usage limitations apply.) What a great idea...I can't wait to figure out some places to use her striking creations!

Project 365: Day 63

Components of a perfect Saturday for me? Sunny weather + driving + my boys out to Chicopee to check out Letterpress Things' current inventory. This time, we hauled home two cases of type (Spartan Book and Heavy, for practicing my hand setting) and a bunch of miscellaneous pre-loved print shop "stuff."

Ladies of Letterpress

"Dedicated to the proposition that a woman's place is in the print shop"...

and guess who is a new member? I am really appreciative that there is a forum like LoL to offer support and advice to newbies like moi.

(below, a few -- ok ALL -- of my letterpress work thus far)

Project 365: Day 34

Every year, a neighborhood up at Lake Winnepesake near Bobby's parents' house holds a giant yard sale. A few years back, I bought a few sets of these notecards. Only when I dug them out this week, to write a thank you card, did I realize that they are prints by Gwen Frostic/Presscraft Papers...the very same artist whose cards I admired at Anthropologie for the holidays!

"Because you appreciate loveliness..."
Why yes, yes I do.

Project 365: Day 27

Special treat today after an informational interview (you know, "career stuff") -- The Secrets of Tomb 10A exhibit and lunch with Cho at the MFA.

The devil made me do it

Like FML, but exclusively relatable for the design crowd!
(thx to Mel for the linky.)

 

Forbidden Fruit

The Prof and I decided to have a mall day a few weekends ago and spend the many gift cards we'd generously been given for the wedding.

Game plan: To "shop without spending"

We did our returns and/or purchases in other stores and ended up at Williams Sonoma, the mecca of taste tests and expensive kitchen products. After perusing our registry, the decision came down to either a saucepan or a santoku knife. Then I saw...

 

OH MAH GAWD.

Of course, if anyone is a complete and obvious marketing target for the Kitchenaid 90th Anniversary Limited Edition stand mixer, it's moi. I don't cook, the thing has major hype, and a specially produced glass bowl like the mixers of old. Did I mention the commemorative logo, or that the machines are "assembled with pride in Greenville, Ohio?"

As I pawed the mixer's shiny candy apple red finish, I knew, I MUST HAVE THIS OBJECT. I begged, I tried the "birthday-and-Christmas-present-combined" tactic (reserved for very special bartering occasions, usually with Dad-orelli,) I even almost teared up...but The Prof seemed unmoved.

His comment: "You don't bake."
My reply: "Well, I don't cook either but has that stopped me from buying the majority of our kitchen items?

I am not proud to admit, but I think we had our first married fight over the whole thing right there in the store. I huffed, The Prof puffed, we called truce over some beers at The Cheesecake Factory...and we got the pot and knife instead. I forgot about the whole thing, but did feel badly about our scuffle. My newlywed badge was tarnished, with not even a month gone.

Two nights later, I came home and went back to the kitchen. There on the table...

The Prof came up behind me while my mouth gaped open in shock. "I'm sorry that we fought over something so ridiculous; I went back and got you the mixer."

Apologies, other wifeys -- but I think I made the catch of the century when I married MY hubs.
(p.s. I said that I was very sorry too.)

A Nice Sharp Goudy

For your afternoon lag time pleasure: Cheese or Font? And, wow, clearly a lot of graphic designers must be out of work for this site to have been conceived and implemented. On the other hand, I played twice and also managed to find out that there is an actual font called "Swiss Cheese." Who knew?

(thx to Half Pint for the link, and Jeffé for the Goudy/Gouda pun)

 

Better than Virginia

Finally, I have found the bicycle equivalent of a station wagon! So friendly for the environment, so much cargo space, bring the Madsen to me...

In my mind, the real point of contention (besides the $1K price tag) is whether the Bucket, top, or Rack, bottom, would best suit my curbside salvage needs. I love the idea of a container to securely transport "treasures," yet I've seen the magic that a few Fixa luggage straps can work.

<Drool>

A-Z

How many times can I mention baby Henry in a week? At least two for June 22-26, because I wanted to post this really unique idea that The Polish Princess and Mad Hungarian's GTP (Good Time Pals, the Cincinnati Gang) came up with for a baby shower gift. The rules were basic and simple:

- design a 10" x 10" square based on the theme of one letter of the alphabet, with the square being a pictorial expression of the alphabet (think animals, nature scenes, musical instruments, and kid friendly)

- any medium is allowed, but the letter must be at least 2" tall within the square

These specifications might seem fairly loose...until you send them to a group of designers. I got to participate (!) and couldn't wait to see the final result. If you're planning a shower for some mama-to-be, I thought this was a really fresh idea.

Here is the amazing outcome (for full disclosure: I did "Q," don't bash, y'all):

And in the context of Henry's nursery (bunnies are so "in" right now, love it!)

Congrats again to the Eastern European royal family...I hope that first week at home is going smoothly.

Grow Local

Initiatives like "Rethink Your Green," proposed by  one CalArts design team to encourage Angelenos to plant native gardens in their front yards, are very inspiring and seem fairly simple to implement. Instead of the non-indigenous landscaping that is sucking up 60% of the city's water consumption, residents fill their yards with beautiful flowers like mariposas or California posey.

The initiative has three components:

Build Awareness: Educate the public on the LA water supply.

Present Alternatives: What people can use instead of “traditional lawns” in their yard, aka switch to a drought-resistant California lawn.

Provide Resources: Tell em how to do it.

I remember when Half Pint mentioned that she and Mr. Car might do a native garden in their front yard -- I was excited because the concept was new to me. Since that time, I've seen quite a few beautiful front yard gardens (most notably in Jamaica Plain) and would love to plant my own...some day.

(images via Yanko Design, thx to Mark for the link)

B(one)

I can't believe that two years have passed since A Classic Girl and I were at the helm of the AIGA Boston's Best of New England (BoNE) show. The whole experience was, honestly, a busy blur...especially because my little Nona passed away the week before the event and I had to check out (emotionally and physically.)

One (two, actually) of the saving graces for BoNE07 were the talented team of Little Big Bird Design, conveniently composed of old friends and fellow DAAPers Brandon and Jeffé. They designed, coordinated, and hung the entire gallery while I was in Pittsburgh, and Andrea took care of the awards and program details by her 8+ month pregnant self. I am so grateful to all three of them from the bottom of my heart, even more so in retrospect, nearly 730 days later.

When the AIGA started searching for directors of BoNE09, the solution was fairly obvious -- Brandon and Jeff are doing a bang up job this year, both with the identity, web site, and entries (500 as of last week!) Friday is the Meet the Judges event at Clink in the Liberty Hotel. Come out (admission is free,) raise a glass to Little Big Bird...and chat up some "famous" designer judges.

I'll be there!

Massimo + DAAP, Sitting in a Tree

Apparently, the "man of five typefaces" loves my alma mater...
CHEERS TO DAAP!

(Thx to Jeffé for the link, and to Jessica Helfand for bringing a little well-needed perspective to all those 'rock star' designers out there.)

Be Swissed

Kind of like getting pissed, but more ironic (and less fun the night of, but probably better the next morning)...

Instructions: Go here

Read some guidelines...

1. Generally, black text on white looks good.

2. Sometimes white text on black looks good too!

3. Letters too close to the side? Use the space bar to cushion.

4. If your phrase doesn't fit, you probably have too many words.

5. Try not to use too many upper case letters. (it looks weird)

6. Add white spaces before or after your text by hitting "return."

7. Try to stick to a single point size.

8. Don't worry about adding pictures, it only distracts the message.

9. When in doubt, leave it out.

10. B/W large format printing is available at Kinkos for around $1/SqFt.

11. Making swiss posters will not get you chicks or dudes.

... okay maybe it will get you some dudes.

Then realize...

(not me, but applicable)

or...

(Me.)

Orla, Orla, Orla

Well, it seemed only a matter of time before Target reeled in British accessories wünderkind Orla Kiely -- and that time has arrived. Her new line of (home) goods for Target hits stores in February with a sprinkling of flowered and fruity patterns.

Any thoughts on Orla designing for the red bullseyed masses?

"Mimosa Embodies Hopefulness and Reassurance in a Climate of Change"

Even colors get political these days; Pantone Corp just named their 2009 color of the year -- Pantone 14-0848 Mimosa.

"CARLSTADT, N.J., Dec. 3, 2008 - Pantone, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 14-0848 Mimosa, a warm, engaging yellow, as the color of the year for 2009. In a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow."

Hmmm…so this shade of yellow is one of our wedding colors. Coincidence?

Architects, You're Infringing on our Non-Compete...again

It's no secret that graphic designers think they can be interior designers, architects think they can be graphic designers, industrial designers think they can be fashion designers, anyone thinks s/he can be a fine artist, and so on and so forth. Such is the hierarchy of the art and design professions.

Dare I say that Stan Python stepped over the line by designing a new euro 5 coin based on the theme Netherlands + Architecture?

"On one hand I paid tribute to the rich Dutch architecture history and on the other hand to the contemporary quality of Dutch architecture. These form also the two sides of my coin. Traditionally the front of the coin needs to portray the queen, while the back side displays the value of the coin."

I mean, guy even DESIGNED A TYPEFACE for on the coin! Harumph (and good job...I guess.)

(Thanks to architect and metal sculptor The Mad Hungarian for the linky.)

A Cozy Nest

I took the slightly chillier weather (not to mention the fact that I spent an entire day this weekend cleaning our apartment and setting up the the new dining room) as a cue to post this Autumnal Apartment Tour. The Prof and I agree that we are finished with apartment furnishing/decoration; we're ready to settle in for a snug second Fall & Winter in our place.

As a teaser, the new dining room...

I Bite

...paper with lead that is, now that I've picked up my Kelsey 5x8 desktop letterpress on Saturday morning! John Barrett, proprietor of Letterpress Things in Chicopee, MA, called about 2 weeks ago. After months of delays in getting rollers and clips, my new baby was ready and waiting.

Y i p p e e !

Now I can finally set up Shoppe Murforelli in the basement and start practicing for printing various collateral (including, and most importantly, our wedding stationery.)

The model below is identical to my new press, actual photos to come...here's a video of someone using the Kelsey, an even cooler mini-movie of Firefly Press in Somerville, MA, and some beginner tips. Interested in letterpress? Check out the ever-evolving Briar Press site.

JPOS + SEOM

That's Jamaica Plain Open Studios and South End Open Market, which I'll be attending this Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The JPOS looks to have lots of promising art and handcrafted pieces; I'm most interested in taking Alexander (my vintage Schwinn) over to check out Olaria Studios, owned by my new Market friend Amy, and J Hill, for some possible early paper goods Xmas shopping.

On Sunday, September 28, 2008, I'm opening up das Cabinet at SEOM from 10am - 4pm. Pray for sunshine, although the forecast says "cloudy," which is still better than "rain."

Hope to see you there!

Love, love, love ReaderBack

ReaderBack = Reader + Feedback

Basically, I scream the phrase out  when a Blogorelli reader actually sends me a personal email -- YEA! Also, in terms of "backs," JT-style SexyBack is nothing compared to hotness of email correspondence...

Right?

Leif Forre (love the name, too) wrote a few weeks back, taking responsibility for the Catherine Holm photos that ignited my crazy enamel pot addiction in April. After spending my entire economic stimulus check buying CH pieces from Ebay, my kitchen now boasts a fairly broad collection and has never looked better.

. . . . . . .

Hi there-
 
I just thought I would write and say hello. I'm the one who's flickr photographs you used on your April 2008 blog about Cathrineholm items. I ran across your blog when I was doing some research on Grete Prytz Kittelsen before I left for Oslo to see her exhibition at the National Gallery of Design. Since I'm not a blogger, I was pretty excited to see that someone actually used my photographs of part of my collection for their own blog!  :-)   From  the looks of it, you are starting to get quite a collection of your own. Have fun, it's really addicting!! Perhaps we'll bid against each other some day. lol.
 
Take care-
Leif

Go Speed Racer

Check out the cherry (literally) ride I spied on the street as I left work a few weeks ago! I suspect the coupe belonged to someone associated with the multiple number of movies shooting in our neighborhood over the past months as Hollywood invaded Boston. This car, a bottle of bubbly, a sunny day at the beach, and some Dion...that is maybe my description of a perfect summer day.

A gal can dream, anyway.

Letterpress n' Things

A little over a month ago, I finally got to take a drive out the Northern MA way to visit Letterpress Things. The morning itself was slightly grey and the drive a bit monotonous, but well worth the effort when I met John Barrett, proprietor of all things letterpressed. On certain weekends, he opens his third floor warehouse space up so that typophiles (is that even a word? Well, you know what I mean) like myself can sift through his giant collection of type cuts, presses, cases, and supplies. The Prof and I have tried to make the trip to LPT two times before, once thwarted by other plans and once by a snowstorm. We lucked out this time, though, because the morning we did happen to go to Chicopee, it was just us and John for most of our three hour visit.

John runs a printshop during the week, but LPT is his real passion, and he not only gave us the full tour but also did an impromptu demonstration back in the print shop, where we inked up a press and I got to pull my first print! Luckily, The Prof was there to photograph the whole momentous occasion...

Here's a little description of our process (I'm remembering the best I can, so please excuse if something is in the wrong order.)

Step 1: Pick out something to print
In our case, John chose a kicky little parrot, which we ended up using over my Swiss-looking cut of two children because it had better metal.

Step 2: Lock the type into the case
This step involves arranging a bunch of little pieces of wood to steady the type (or parrot) and locking everything tight with a key.

Step 3: Ink the plate
Pretty self-explanatory, except that the ink was pretty sticky and concentrated. Luckily, I have a light touch.

Ink smear on plate, how very Pollock, no?

After spreading the ink on the plate, you've got to turn the plate and run the rollers over it a bunch of times to get everything coated to the right consistency. John said that it kind of sounded like rolling wet paint onto a wall (it did) and that as a person letterpresses more, s/he knows when the ink is exactly at the perfect consistency by sound alone.

Step 4: Lock in the chase
Basically, we got the whole metal/wood thingy-ma-bob and slid it into the press.

John makes an adjustment to the guides so we don't crush the expensive little pieces in the big metal press.

Inking the type/parrot...

Step 5: The proof
Before you just "take it there", a proof is pressed to check ink coverage and positionng. This is when I first got to see the positive impression of our parrot; I'll call him Morty.

Step 6: (Deep Breath) Pulling a print

Here I am, pulling my first print of Morty. I guess most people don't have a photographer front and center to capture this moment, but luckily The Prof was there. Now we can look at this foto and remember the exact second when I stopped sinking all of my auxiliary money into Catherine Holm pots from Ebay and instead started amassing letterpress things.

Me and Morty; could I look more eerily excited?

Morty immediately after his "birth."

Karate Kid and my letterpress Mr. Miyagi (he said I was a natural.)

I loved my time at Letterpress Things and am planning to buy a press there, a little Kelsey that is in the process Mr. Barrett and start my new hobby -- as an amateur letterpresser. Wootie-woot!!!

Look, we even made the LPT blog! (click on "continue" to read, and look at some more fotos of LPT here.)

The Last Monster

...of the illustrated variety, anyhow. I mentioned back during the BoNE Show craziness that Sefan Bucher was one of our "designlebrity" judges. Besides being a good conversationalist, he also undertakes interesting projects, the perfect example being his Daily Monsters. The last (200th!) monster posted on Friday, so congrats to Stefan!

Check out the site; there's just something so mesmerizing about watching a person draw by hand...

Bad Chin "Erased" From the Masses

Now, in addition to clients giving me design direction, anyone who can navigate the Inter-net also has the opportunity to retouch photos with Photoshop Express (currently in Beta):

"First hinted at by Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen some six months ago, Photoshop Express isn't meant to duplicate/replace Photoshop CS3 or Photoshop Elements. Rather, it's a new member of the Photoshop family that's meant to make Adobe imaging technology immediately accessible to large numbers of people."
— from Jack Nack on Adobe

On one hand, I can't wait to see some of the grotesque results of "common folk" using the clone tool...on the other hand, I've looked around the PSX site, and can't quite figure out why an amateur digital photographer would choose this option over Flickr or native camera software. I could be missing something since I didn't register as a full user? The Photoshop Express site does offer some basic image editing capabilities, as well as the option to make and share galleries in a variety of configurations.

Rather Difficult Font Game

There's no  other way to introduce this game than to say, bring on the comments...

The Rather Difficult Font Game

I scored 29 out of 34, and the ones I missed were out of sheer stupidity due to speed (although I do agree with someone's comment that similar faces should be compared, not obviously different options like, say, Wingdings vs. Futura.) Read about the making of the game here. For all those constantly connected design nerds out there, an iPhone/iPod Touch version should be out in the next week.

Going Big and Holm

Just to prove that when I set my mind to something I succeed, here are the CatherineHolm pieces I've collected from Ebay since my post of last week:

I know that I'm content and happy in an apartment when I start setting up tableaus. Here, a 1960s sewing table+chair, dress form that I scored for a ridiculously low price last weekend,  a family tree that I made for Nona, Candelas (a birthday gift from Cho+Bobby+BBK)...and two new CH orange enamel saucepots!

I've won a few other auctions, so there are more pots/bowls to come. I'm still on the lookout for red and yellow pieces, since those colors seem to be fairly scarce. The Prof is doing ok with the influx of my new collection...although now that he's gone 100% and shaved all of his facial hair, I'm still adjusting to my "new" roommate.

Garbagetecture

This morning, I am inspired (and a little giddy) to have discovered Jan Korbes's Garbage Architecture  (via BoingBoing via Cribcandy.)

"...Garbage Architecture is a trove of beautiful things made out of salvage and trash, from a chair made out of radials to a staircase made out of timbers from a castle."

YESSIR!

I think some of these examples show that I am, in fact, not insane for continuing to feed my salvage addiction by picking up random street "trash." Plus, these ideas could come in handy for a possible big future project The Prof and I are contemplating starting sooner rather than later (more on that in another post.)

My Garbagetecture favorites:
Elske dining and working table (perhaps our favorite craftsman might oblige to help us make the modernist farm table of my dreams come true if we find the salvaged wood...hmm?)

Bed for  Marianne (coincidentally, we could use a new bed frame as well)

Freestanding Stairs

Although Bobby Crocker might argue that some of these projects are more "art" than "architecture" (and he'd be correct,) there's still something so interesting about the transformation of waste into a usable, every day objets d'art...or d'life(?) Also, I enjoy observing the aged textures and colors of reused materials and imagining their life pre-me...probably why I love thrifting so much as well. Plus reusing is "so green" and, in my mind, giving salvage of whatever kind a new purpose maybe atones for all my years of not recycling?

For the Massholians (I use the term only in affection) out there, here are a few local salvage centers that come recommended:

ReStore Home Improvement Center (Springfield, MA)
Boston Materials Resource Center (Boston, MA)
New England Demolition and Salvage (New Bedford, MA)
Restoration Resources (Boston, MA)

Cali Cool

We all wish we could live in California, and not just because of the fabled 70 degree weather or bitchin' television ads. Now we East Coasters can bask in the afterglow as the Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design, and Culture at Midcentury exhibit visits Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy in Andover.

I need no further enticement, but should anyone else, "Birth of the Cool presents over 150 objects that examine the painting, architecture, furniture design, decorative and graphic arts, film, and music that launched mid-century modernism in the United States and established Los Angeles as a major American cultural center."

Even more details in this Boston Globe article, but don't ponder for too long -- the exhibit closes on April 13, 2008. In case you miss the midcentury boat, there's always a consolation prize: Eames stamps being issued this summer by the USPS.

Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design, and Culture at Midcentury
Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, through April 13
978-749-4015
Andover.edu/Addison

(photo by David Kamerman/Boston Globe)

  

Purgatory In Providence

Depending on perspective, the city of Providence might already seem like a "place of temporary punishment, suffering, expiation, or the like." I mean, look at Buddy Cianci's saga. Through next Wednesday, though, you can check out purgatory baked up nice and neat with a crispy crust -- at the Purgatory Pie Press exhibit (at RISD library.)

A little background on PPP:

"Dikko Faust started Purgatory Pie Press at the University of Wisconsin, Madison when he spilled (or pied) an overfilled case of 8 pt century oldstyle his first day at Walter Hamady's letterpress class.

Esther K Smith entered Purgatory when they made their wedding invitation in 1980."

The letterpress studio now operates out of NYC and specializes in collaborating with artists to produce prints, books, and the letterpress application du jour these days, wedding invitations.They set all type by hand; Faust and Smith also publish and teach.

Luckily, The Prof and I are headed down to Provi tomorrow morning to attend a paternal family reunion/Providence College basketball game with the Murphy clan and I have a few a.m. hours to myself while Mark is tutoring in Final Cut. I think I'll try to catch the PPP exhibit, check out a store (Rocket to Mars) that I've had my eye on for over a year, then end with some leisurely browsing on Wickenden Street.

I also found a great post on things to do for a super-packed day in Provi (and everyone who knows me knows that I love to overbook). Read the post here and look a few fun photos.

Yea!

I'm Dreaming of Spring (Colors)

Even though it's only early February AND snow fell this morning in The Bean, I'm ready for Spring, with its bright colors and abundant sunlight!

Various sources of inspiraion, seen and noted during my daily travels this past month...

Obtaining oilcloth, with its cheerful palette and fun patterns, used to mean a trip to Santa Fe (not that I minded) but now locals can get their fix at Tags Hardware in Porter Square for $7.99/yd. I'm thinking of buying some for the bottom of a set of kitchen dinette chairs I'm refinishing.

Could JaquelineKnits Ltd. Apple and Pear Jackets be any cuter, either in name or look? They are like little fruit-protecting babushkas!

I got my red Hunter Wellies years ago, ordered direct from the Scottish source. Of course, now they're "hot." Grrr. One good thing about popularity, I suppose, is that we Yanks can get the cozy "Welly Socks" (shown above in a shot that I took at Tannery's new store in Harvard Square) stateside. I love the idea of my feet being all warm and snug in a big fleecy sock while I tromp through puddles.

Finally, for those early adopters reading, check out the official color forecasts for Spring and Fall (!) 2008...

T5

Joy!

Last night, while searching for flights to anywhere warm for a short getaway, I saw on JetBlue's website that their new home at JFK Int'l will be Terminal 5. Why is this announcement so special? Because "it means that Terminal 5, the gorgeous Eero Saarinen-designed space that used to be the TWA terminal, will reopen"

Joy x infinity!

Those in the design know will likely recognize Finnish architect Saarinen in connection with structures like St. Louis' Gateway Arch and MIT's Kresge Auditorium, as well as the iconic  Tulip table + chairs he designed for Knoll. Terminal 5's future has been somewhat of a hot topic between the Municipal Art Society  and Port Authority since its closing two years ago. Due to deficiencies in security features and limited accessibility for the handicapped, T5 will technically serve as an entrance to the new JetBlue building (which will be built behind T5, with tunnels connecting the two,) for those travelers who want to enter through the mid-century decadence of T5, or, and the Gothamist so succintly put it, experience "a glorious memory of what air travel used to be like when it was glamorous and exciting, versus the tension-fraught chore it seems now.

Amen.

Want to see more? Me too...
check out these photos of the amazing Terminal 5 from lightningfield.com.

Now I'm defintely going to #53 this fall!

 

Le Zign Eez On Ze Wall

When I used to do my Saturday "errands" around Somerville, I always noticed the small groceries that still displayed hand-lettered signs advertising their specials. Since the specials changed every week, I wondered what happened to the old signs and often thought that they would look rather snappy framed and hung up in a cheerily-colored kitchen.

I forgot about those signs after I moved, which is why I got super excited to find an old bookmark for KT Meaney's article about sign painters on Speak Up ...

"Amado Romero paints in Logan Square, Chicago. It is an old-fashioned occupation, but in this timeless neighborhood, a job with a fresh coat of paint. So I stop and watch. Amado speaks little english and silently offers his business card as a greeting. It reads: 'ZIGN; Amado Romero.' The card itself is a sign: hand painted with visible brush strokes that no Epson could output. I smile in return, 'cause that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language.

What a word: ZIGN! I like it mucho."

I enjoy the idea that, even in today's automated and online world, some things are still crafted with a sincere and skilled hand...like Job Wouters'...or yours!

Psuedo Crests

I'm totally cranky this morning for a variety of reasons, and, as if I need anything else to fuel the flames of my pissy-ness, I see that LogoLounge has posted their list of 2007 Logo Trends. Now, this list in itself hardly ruffled my feathers...until I saw #6.

 

I rode the early adoption crest (ha) of this trend over two years ago,  when I attempted to launch:

Since putting up the "coming soon" home page, I've not only moved all of the merchandise at least three times, but paid over $200 in fees to keep up the non-active site. Last night, I actually found myself wishing something would just blow up in our basement and incinerate the inventory so that all I had to remind me of my entrepreneurial dreams were some ashes from which to rise.

Mostly, I'm irritated at myself for lack of motivation but just thinking of the whole thing makes me tired. Pipe dreams: pretty good until they turn into Chinese fingertraps.

Sigh.
It's clearly a Monday.

Cool Nights, Warm Tootsies

Earlier this week, temps in the Boston area dipped a bit, which led me to start thinking...about my toes. They felt cold ('code') walking around on the bare hardwood floors! I immediately commenced online floor covering research.

Here are my top three picks for Winter 2007:

1. Little Field of Flower Rug (in green)
Target shoppers may remember Tod Boontje's 2006 holiday line -- I loved it! -- and he's worked his magic again for Nani Marquina with a rug containing "six distinct shapes of flower combinations, in three different tonalities, which creates an intriguing composition that's all about movement, texture and color." Of course, I could only afford this piece on sale, for about 1/16 the price (and even then, only the small size.) Still, I can fantasize about how posh my toes would feel surrounded by their own little forest floor of soft wool.

2. Chilewich Floormats
I saw the Chilewich line (also contains placemats and bags) in a store when The Prof, The Nachos and I drove down to Provincetown for dinner over Labor Day weekend. I love the material (woven vinyl,) simple textures, and neutral colors that designer Sandy Chilewich chose for the three floormat lines: Bamboo, Basketweave, and Small Stripe/Big Stripe. These mats would add a modern touch to our apartment, which is very Victorian in its architectural details and paint colors. Also, a Chilewich might serve as a good compromise since, in the winter, The Prof walks around barefoot while I have on two pairs of wool socks.

3. LUDDE sheepskin
Ah, old reliable LUDDE...every autumn I buy one, and every spring I throw the gray, dirty remains out. There's nothing so cozy as taking my feet out of the warm bed and placing them directly onto the soft fur surface. The BKP Sophia loves the LUDDE too; she kneads it with her little paws, cuddles on it, and might actually think it's alive. Do not wash a LUDDE, trust me, this just does not work.

A Clear View

The New York Times has a totally interesting (to me, anyway) article online about The Federal Highway Administation's ongoing process of updating America's Interstate highway signs. Over 20 states, including PA, are using the newly designed font just for highway signage, Clearview. I actually noticed a difference in the road signs on my most recent drive to/from Pittsburgh. Yes, I'm that geeky. However, the NYT article confirms that PA is indeed using Clearview on much of I-80. My home state is so progressive (GO STEELERS!) Anyway, the font is definitely more legible than the previously utilized Highway Gothic.

Plus, a "...review of recognition by a stationary viewer revealed an approximately 40 percent gain, or 200 feet of added reading distance using a 10-inch-high letter on the demonstration panel."

Whoa. That added reading distance just might make me amp the speedometer up to 45mph when I space into my "grandma" driving mode during long trips.

A few images from the NYT's article:

Old vs. new (I think the consistent background value also affects legibility. Also, my mom did her student teaching in Bethlehem, PA.)

Type study diagrams secretly amuse me.

Joe Bottoni's Zoo

Michael Beirut just made my Friday afternoon with his article over at Design Observer detailing his student portfolio from the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (from which I, Dairy Queen, General Disarray, Polish Princess, Mad Hungarian, Dutch, Matthew, and many other commenter on this blog also graduated.)

Two of my favorite parts of the article:
1. Plaka. For those who have never been forced to use this paint, well, you're lucky:
"That's not to say that we didn't learn practical things too, like how to render letterforms in a brand of black and white poster paint called Plaka that was specially imported from Switzerland and stocked in the UC bookstore expressly for us graphic design students."

2. JOE BOTTONI! A real stand-out on the faculty, mostly because of his casual attitude, white Easy Spirit-looking sneakers, and funny sayings (like calling good solutions "happy accidents"):
"This was a classic assignment given by Cincinnati professor Joe Bottoni that I believe is still given to this day: pick an animal and render it in simplified forms. I have fond memories of sketching gorillas at the Cincinnati Zoo. Oddly enough, I don't remember seeing the work of local boy Charley Harper until much later. Thank God, because he had taken almost all the available animals for himself. Painted by hand, again, in black and white Plaka."

Oh, the smell of Plaka and the feel of Color-aid sheets on a crisp fall morning. I miss Cincinnati and my school days. Luckily, I'm headed back in about 4 weeks for a visit.

A few of Beirut's expertly painted gorillas...better than whatever animal I chose, which was so mediocre in execution that I can't even remember its species.

Everywhere A Pidge Pidge

Fall is upon us, and what better incentive to start knitting again than to create a simple neck warmer (also referred to as a 'neck cozy' -- how appropriate)? The one I like is both cute in looks and name: The Pidge!

Of course, I can't afford to buy something that is "premium  Italian cashmere and accented with elegant Olivewood   buttons" so I consulted the only knitty expert that I know, Trinity, to ask if she knew how I could pimp a faux Pidge on the cheap...

"You can totally make a Pidge easily. It is essentially a short scarf with two button holes. It looks like the stitch pattern is a crossed stockinette stitch.

to make that stitch
and
a link for buttonholes"

Yea! While I figure out all the details, I did a little research for the un-crafty (or less patient) out there, and found that Etsy abounds with faux Pidges...some that I might just like more than the original.

(In order, from top to bottom) The Sky Blue Neck Cozy is embelished with a vintage button, the Plum Sparkly Neckwarmer offers some added pizazz, and I could see Loyola's more organically-shaped neckwarmers  becoming a daily staple in my fight against the chilly. The Ivory Coast Scarflette (not pictured) offers a clever idea to avoid knitting in the buttonholes -- using chunky yarn, which makes the piece adjustable since the button can go through anywhere.