Friday, August 29, 2008

TGIF

I got some print samples from Canada yesterday. I like these stamps that are on the envelope that the samples came in.
I'm thinking I'll go to Anchorage, Alaska on vacation next year. Right around May 23.

Why? Go here.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

downtown waco...old and wonderful


i took this photo at lunch today...well, i took it and then i doctored it.

downtown waco, our neighborhood, cameron park, lake waco dam, the lions club park slides and starbucks are my favorite places in waco.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

blog blog blog

i'm trying to figure out what the purpose of my blog is. maybe its just about stuff that catches my eye.

i was going to put up some cool pictures i found of ghost signs, but i think i'll just let you look on google. i found a ton of other blogs with these pictures, so why have one just like everyone else's? i do like ghost signs though. and until yesterday, i thought you just called them old signs. wrong. i'll have to take some shots of some waco ghost signs soon.

some of my blog is about design because i like design. but, to be honest, i don't like design right now. i love it, but i don't like it right now, if that makes any sense. i think i'm a little disillusioned by what design means and does. my first thoughts are that if someone who isn't a designer can tell you how to do it, then what makes you a designer? but, of course, designers must work with other people. but how much should those other people dictate your design and identity?

i think that i am starting to become a student of design. sure, i went to school for a degree in design at one of the best places in texas, but that doesn't mean learning is over. in fact, i think it is only just beginning. where do i go from here? i'm trying to develop some kind of a style, some kind of a design identity...something not dictated by everyone else. maybe this blog will help me work some of this out. maybe not.

in other news, i asked mrs. b for quilting tips

here's what mrs. b says about quilting:
http://quilting.about.com/od/ragquiltpatterns/ss/floral_ragquilt.htm

"You might look at this design. Sort of similar, very cool. I just get ideas from quilting websites from the internet. That quilt is VERY easy. You just need three compatible fabrics--probably 1.5 to 2 yards each, depending on how big you want to make it. If you want it to be REAL big--bed size, I can help you with that. I just got a machine quilting frame and it is much easier.
Anyway, just sew fabric strips together and cut the final fat strips into squares. Then, sew the squares together. The size of the border is up to you, depending on the size of the quilt you are trying to make. I just look at quilting websites to get ideas. You might look at allpeoplequilt.com and hgtv has a quilting section also. Since you don't have a lot of equipment, I'd try doing the strip quilt by tearing your fabric into strips--it should come out straighter. They also now have these fabulous strips on a roll, but they are sort of expensive.

Happy quilting!!
Mrs. b"

I think I already have 1 or 2 of the 3 fabrics I might need. but i'm picky, so i'm not sure.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Adrienne Brabham, my friends


Adrienne painted this for us for our wedding. We love it. It's hanging in our dining area. (not room, though...the bikes are in there, too)

Adrienne also has an etsy.com account, you can view that here.

Her color choices are always so unique. She has a real eye for combining colors that you would not expect. It challenges me to think differently about colors that I would put together.

Did I mention she's getting married?!

When Photoshop goes bad.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

More local design stuff...and a process

Blue Bike Marketing
Randy McCauley Designs
Woodward Creative Group

I'm trying to think through a lot of stuff about design in my head. Like the process of creating.

What is my process like at work?
1. receive information
2. gather thoughts/ideas
2.5 a couple of sketches
3. create
4. approval
5. edits edits edits
6. save and done

But what do I want my process to look like?
easier asked than answered....something like this:
lots of information gathering, lots of sinking in and learning and sketching and discussion, more sketching, get to a place to take some ideas further, flesh out, critique, critique, critique, redo, critque, polish, polish, polish, ta da! i dunno....

Monday, August 18, 2008

Johnathan Harris

This guys work is awesome.


Go here for more cool stuff from Ted.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

New computer, new world

that's right! welcome to my first post from my (our) new computer. i (we) love it!

hello freelance work. goodbye boring evenings when geoffrey is doing homework.

we are new fans of hotwire.com. there is a small adrenaline rush as you wait to find out where you will be staying. we did that this past weekend and ended up at a Crowne Plaza in Austin. it was really nice (similar to a Hampton) and in a great spot.  try it sometime. like the next time you visit waco, tx.

i'm pretty excited about this coming friday. i'm going to a small advertising conference in temple, and rod ulrich of the richards group will be there. he works on the chick-fil-a account. as an added bonus, one the keynote speakers is kayne gillaspie from season 3 of project runway! miss usa wore the dress that he designed at the miss universe pageant.

local design websites: 



Friday, August 15, 2008

My typeface wish list

Maybe I'll just ask for typefaces for Christmas from now on...

Gotham
Requiem
Neutraface
Sign Painter
ITC Bodoni Six


I'm also thinking of a typography tattoo. That's just a thought though, I can't handle the pain.

And for if you're interested in the history of Comic Sans, click here. I think I may have a slightly different perspective about the typeface now. I still won't use it.





This is what I came up with yesterday.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Inspiration while at work on Thursday.


I'm working on a logo for a program at the Chamber called "Great Cities" and all I can think of is the Great Wide logo.


Barkley Creative
Logo Lounge
Be Positive
Pandora

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Purchases


I bought 3 different fabrics this weekend at the Style Station in between Waco and West.

I'm buying a macbook pro this week.

Sweet.

Friday, August 8, 2008

D-sign.

okay. i've been thinking about what i would call my own design firm if i ever get the chance to start one. my new last name is davis, and design starts with a d. soooo...i might be on to something here.

if you click here, you can see just how many davis design firms already exist. so that wouldn't work.
in fact, waco has it's own "davis design studio." it is an architecture firm.

davis design in denver is a graphic design/ad firm. and their stuff is just ok. and my firm couldn't just be ok.

the new masthead on my blog has a d and a sign. Get it? d-sign... haha. anyways. D-sign wouldn't be a good name either.

so...i dunno. just something else to think about.

i like these design firm names, though: (or maybe just their design)
McGarrah Jessee
The Decoder Ring
Entermotion Design Studio
AM Design
many more

words that cannot be in the name: pixel, byte, creative, graphic...and design is iffy, too.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

i like this one.


http://mccallsquilting.com/qb/pattern_1001/

It's called Party Hats.

quilting




i made a t-shirt quilt during college and it is terrible. last night i decided i would start stitching around the designs on the quilt to make it more quilt-like. i was terrible at it. but this is only the beginning.

last weekend i bought a rotary cutter and a self-healing board so that i could start making a quilt. i have a book that explains how to do stuff.

my goal: finish a quilt by this time next year.

i want to use vintage fabrics, though. and i'm having a hard time coming up with those. so i'm just beginning.

i like these fabrics. and these.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Where else?

I'm pretty impressed with this lady's quilting. Click picture to view her blog.

Quilt like.
Bike maps.

McKinleyBrown. Waco. Nice.

Have you seen the tube map cover? Kimberly brought me one of these a while back when she went to England. I kept it because I liked the cover. This is even better.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

I like old stuff.




Today's inspiration: Red Antenna. I'm liking their stuff.