designer's library

Nut Tree

Okay, here's something I need to file under "Missed Opportunities": The Nut Tree in Vacaville. Let me say that I had a gazillion opportunities to visit that place as a kid and teenager. But no, I always went to the other side of the freeway for the stupid Old Navy and Sam & Libby outlets. I can't believe we never even ate there. We passed up the Nut Tree for Lyon's diner? Man, teenagers are dumb! Of course, at that time, modernism and Alexander Girard meant nothing to me. Come on, I was all about The Gap back then. And I'm sure I would have had little appreciation and walked out of there trashing the place thinking, "That place looks soooo old!"

You can read more about The Nut Tree on Reference Library's blog. He did a really nice post about it that made me want to kick myself in the pants for not actually visiting it when I could have. Apparently, they reopened The Nut Tree in 2006, ahem..."bringing it into the 21st century" with Best Buy, Old Navy, Borders, and Jamba Juice. What, no Starbucks??

Smarts and Crafts: Cilla Ramnek and Mortified

I love walking away (virtually speaking) from a blog with bits of visual inspiration, and even better, some future plans. On a recent visit to Smart and Crafts (Curiosity Shoppe's blog), I learned of two things. One, Cilla Ramnek's absurdly beautiful glass mosaic floor. The way the tilework looks like woven textile patterns is too gorgeous for words.

And two, I learned of Mortified: a show where folks share their most pathetic writings from their teen years. (There are two shows in SF in September.) I can only imagine how friggin hilarious it must be! Man, I know I wrote a crapload of letters when I was a teen. I'm sure that every letter I wrote circa 1988 started off this way: Hey gurl! Whassup? How's life treatin' ya? For realz dude? Dats cool. As for meeh? Nothing much, just kickin' it in class. And ended likely like this: I bes' jet for now! Love ya like a sis, Meg

Yes, meeh used to talkee like dat--probably with my head/neck zig-zagging from side to side. Seriously, I used to mentally cut-and-paste the beginning and end of every letter regardless of the content. Honestly, sometimes I don't know how I became a writer.

And in case you're wondering what else I wrote to my Contempo Casuals-clad compadres, I'm sure the rest of the letter was about some guy (who was cute then but not cute now) and the beeatch he was going out with OR how I needed more hairspray to enhance my deep-fried permed hair OR what song from Love Lines I was going to record on my cassette player. Gosh, life was so simple...and crunchy back then. Sigh...

In other news, I recently did an interview with Victoria E. on her blog. (Thank you Victoria.) Check it out if you have time on your hands--it's 90% serious and 10% goofy.

Anthro Boots

Aren't these boots from Anthropologie super cute? I love the description:
"Steely leather lace-ups are at once old-fashioned and avant-garde." Word.

Craft Inc

I've been meaning to post about my latest book, Craft Inc. It's truly the book I always wish I had when I started my first business (the wedding invitation biz) 8 years ago. Though the business did well, I'd have to say I was lucky because I honestly did not know what I was doing. It was a whole learn-by-doing experiment of sorts. I made alot of mistakes namely not writing up a partnership agreement and pricing my work incorrectly. Whoever bought invitations from me in the early days really got a sweet bargain. And man, I wasted a crap load of money on advertising! I remember in 2001, I got together with a few other designers and all of us had so many questions like "what the hell is a press kit?" If we only knew how simple it was to put one together.

There is a lot of the book that comes from personal experience: I started a creative business without a degree in art or design; I’ve experienced the follies of partnerships and the freedom of being a sole proprietor; I’ve opened a retail storefront; I’ve sold a business; I have a blog; I've participated in a trade show; I’ve struggled with burnout; and I am a mother (of two kiddos). Of course, I don't know everything! So addition to drawing on my personal experiences, I picked the brains of some of the best craft/design entrepreneurs out there, as well as publicists, representatives, and trade show management to provide the most comprehensive view I could of this incredible industry.

Craft Inc should be available widely in book stores in September, but you can certainly order it now through Amazon or Chronicle Books. And I have events planned, including a launch party, which I will post about real soon.

And a very big thank you to all the blogs and zines that have posted or reviewed Craft Inc so far including:

Sunset Magazine
Venus
Not Martha (the book giveway contest has gotten over 400 comments. i am stunned!)
Oh Joy!
Anh-Minh

If you've blogged about the book, do send me the link. I'd love to read your feedback: good, bad, or otherwise (I'm hoping mostly good). I've gotten some emails already that were so nice. I'm glad the book is already helping folks with their business or getting their business off the ground!

PS. I have gotten a ton of compliments on the design of the book. Unfortunately, I cannot take credit for that! The credit goes to Sarah Meyer, the designer and illustrator of the book, and Jay Salvas at Chronicle Books for the art direction.

PSS. One more thing, Chronicle Books and Bust are giving away a "library" of Chronicle Book craft titles inlcuding Craft Inc. Here's the link to enter that contest.

Off to LA

Going to LA this weekend for many things:

1. To attend the opening reception of the Design Biennial at the Pasadena Museum of California, where my cards will be on exhibit. Yay!

2. To scout out venues for the upcoming LA Modern Economy sale. Let's hope I find something big enough and still affordable.

3. To go shopping. I have a tight schedule but I'm definitely going to check out this shop called OK. I am too excited! Thank you Kelly Cooper-K for introducing me to that shop. I want to stop by Walnut Wallpaper for possibly some Erika Wakerly wallpaper and Reform School because those girls are too cool (hey, that rhymes!). And of course, see what's left at the tailend of the Barney's warehouse sale.

4. To meet up with an old college friend. I'd post a pic but she'd be pissed!

Lot's to do!

Kitchen Reno

We're getting ready for a kitchen reno over here, or at least we think we are. The problem right now is finding a style we like within our budget when our budget is pretty much dictating that we get an Ikea kitchen. Don't get me wrong, I love Ikea. But practically everything in my house that's from Ikea feels like it's just a placeholder until we can afford to get the thing we really want. I don't want to feel that way about a kitchen especially when it does come with a considerable price tag of around $3K. That's an expensive placeholder. They do have some decent styles and some definite stuff that looks like it came from a Nokia parts facility: so sleek, shiny, and cell phoney. So anyway, I'm trying to find that article in Domino about Ikea kitchens to get myself a little more excited about the prospect of using them.

I really like the simplicity of this kitchen, especially it's delicate legs that make it seem like it's floating. The kitchen is from the 1957 Opdahl house (by Edward Killingsworth) in Long Beach which was featured in the July/August issue of Dwell magazine.

Ian Johnson

Even though I design goods for sale and I also host sample sales, oddly, I don't shop much at all. I can go for months without buying anything for myself. I do plenty of window shopping--I'll visit sites, put a bunch of stuff in the shopping cart but never follow through with the checkout button. I've done that with this particular piece, Ian's Johnson's Limited Edition Charlie Parker "Ornithology" print found at Park Life. As a post-Modern Economy treat for myself, I finally purchased it last night for $140. Ian Johnson is a San Francisco artist. His portraits, mostly of jazz musicians, are so mesmerizing. I enjoy how he mixes detailed drawings with graphic patterns. The contrast and color are amazing, too. Below is more of his work.