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We've already established how I feel about the stuff, so lets just say I was super thrilled to find these yummies by French Bull Dog at Plum Party! So when Rob said, "No more plates!" I am sure he didn't mean no more groovy cake stands, and I'm sure I'ld eat more greens if only I had those salad servers... oh, and I think Clare will love the "Just Married" platter, but shhhh! don't tell her! ;)
Asiachi also has a line of very pretty and affordable ($4.99 a plate) Chinese patterned Melamine
I got a pretty comprehensive look at the mechanics of letterpress from an awesome resource called TypeCulture. You can watch movies of everything from how a Ludlow and a Monotype work to a silent film from the 1930s of Frederic Goudy, yes the Goudy, hand-lettering and then casting type for Saks Fifth Avenue. My favorite is the TypoMania piece from the 1980s that features typographer Erik Spiekermann's take on how type moves us.... his insights are still true today.
In addition to the movies, TypeCulture offers up what could be a typography intensive course through its compilation of educational resources, articles and essays. I am going to have to block off a couple of hours to dig through all the goodies...
TypeCulture A Digital Type Foundry and Educational Resource
I love the Plastica shop in LA (I have a soft spot in my heart for them 'cause my friend Josh designed their site, and I believe their identity) You can always find something super cool, and best off all, it will be made of plastic! Personally I am dying for one of those bad ass Pigeon lamps... I fist saw them a few months ago on an Italian site that did not ship internationally... too bad for them, my money will go to Plastica's online store! Also wishing that I was 2 years old so I could play with the Rody... doesn't that look like fun? And plastic rugs from Sweden, sweeeeeet!
In case you haven't heard, the Internet is rad, ok? It is personally responsible for hooking me up with my newest buddy, Nicholas of Trip Print Press. I added photos of my work to the Letterpress group on Flickr and Nicholas gave me some pointers on how to improve my work. Then I checked out his work and saw he was in Toronto... last week when I was there I stopped by his amazing loft to see his work in person. The pictures don't do it justice. His work is really beautiful, and Nicholas is the man... he is running a Ludlow, a Vandercook, has a bunch of type, stacks of paper, a foil stamper, um... a working Little Giant, a Little Giant for parts, oh man I was in heaven. Nicholas has a wealth of information and a real passion for letterpress. He is also a bit of a bad ass... if his clients want to work with him, there are ground rules: no logos, and no pantones. How bad-ass is that? He says next he is going to get a C&P platen press, maybe I'll trade him mine for the Vandercook...that's fair, right?
Rob got some great pictures of the studio while I was running my mouth... check them out here
I love this Thinking with Type book by Ellen Lupton... it is a great resource for understanding how to use typography, and it is a quick easy read with lots of insight. I remember when I bought it I was flipping through a bunch of books on typography, and this one was the only one that went into the Golden Section, so this is the one I bought. The other day at Sw pe in Toronto I saw that Ellen Lupton edited a new book, D.I.Y Design It Yourself and I had to get it. It is also a quick read and has tons of great ideas and project starters... everything from how to design a press kit to t-shirts. If you get a chance, check these babies out.
If you are looking for something to do, visit Ellen Lupton's site. She has a ton of great links and even offers free advice!
I am becoming addicted to silkscreen posters and I am sooooo bummed that I missed the Flatstock 8 show at SXSW last week. Flatstock is a "...poster show series is presented by the American Poster Institute(API). It is an ongoing series of exhibitions featuring the work of many of the most popular concert poster artists working today. The API is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to serving poster artists and promoting the art form."
If
you missed it too the Flatstock site has a bazillion links to the
artists that showed. Most of the artists offer prints for $20 to $40...
real art for your pad, at "fake art" prices!
Here are some of my
faves: 1.Kangaroo Press 2. Strawberryluna 3. Ghost Town 4. Amy Jo 5. Furturtle
Check out all the artists at the Flatstock site.
OK seriously, I have fallen head over heels in love with Canada. Until I moved to Detroit from Los Angeles I never really gave Canada much thought. Sounds weird, but I just thought of them as our friendly neighbors to the north*, and since I had always lived in states that boarded Mexico, I poured my affection on my amigos. Now I am singin' another song. I have been to Toronto a bunch of times over the past year, and each time I go I can't wait to get back. What I like about Toronto is that it feels like New York, but its not so congested that you can't drive if you want, you have the option of public transportation and you can have rockin' city living without the outrageous prices of Manhattan. Plus, if you live in greater Toronto area, you can have Candice Olsen design your space! Oh to dream...
Thanks to swiss miss I found these great cards from Uppercase Gallery in Calgary, BC. Next time I am in T.O. I am gonna send one of these home.
Uppercase Gallery, Books & Papergoods
*Here is a bit of trivia for you... to get to Canada from Detroit, you actually drive SOUTH to cross the border into Windsor, Ontario. Neat!
Rob and I were in Toronto office for work last week to collaborate with our peeps on a project for Dodge. What is really great about working with your husband is that when you have to travel for work, there is a pretty good chance he'll get to come with you. Then it kinda feels like a mini vacation from your real life, and you get to experience so much together. A friend of ours was commenting on our working / love relationship and said that in the time we've been married (almost 4 years) we've probably spent more time together and grown more as a couple than people married twice as long. Most of our marriage we've worked together, so I don't really have much to compare it to, but I think maybe that is true. What I do know is that Rob and I get to have common goals both in our personal and professional lives, and to individually do our best, we need the other one to help make it happen. Its pretty cool. And, even with all the time we spend together, when he comes in the room, he still makes me swoon. :)
Anyone else work with their significant other?