designer's library

Finally...

This month has been all about checking off some major goals. 

No. 1: I'm actually posting on this blog again. 

No. 2: The Craft Inc. Business Planner is *almost* done! Yes, this follow-up planner to Craft Inc. will have more advice (with worksheets!) for indie craft and design businesses. This is the first book I've both written and designed--and I've enjoyed the process because the design plays with business info graphics. (My love for info graphics is totally nerdy, I know.) I'm actually using my PDF copy of the planner right now to help me put together some plans for my business focusing especially on marketing and store outreach. (I so need to do that right now.) You'll be able to get your hands on a copy soon enough as it comes out in early Fall 2009 and I'm guessing it should be available for pre-order this summer. 

No. 3: I'm finally getting to the bottom of the 6-pound bag of pretzels from Costco we bought back in October. I'm so sick of eating pretzels. Next up: that 2-pound tub of mayo.  

Guest Blogging this week

If you're looking for me this week, I'm guest blogging the whole week on design*sponge--and writing more posts there than I have in the past three months combined I might add!

Also, I've gotten some inquiries on this: if you're wondering where to buy Craft Inc. because it's apparently sold out at Chronicle Books and Amazon, here are some other retailers that currently still have them in stock (for now): Reform School and Fred Flare.

I also don't know when they are expecting to receive more books but I'm sure it will be soon!

The Abundant Table

Alright ready. I know, I know. I always seem to be on semi-permanent hiatus from my blog. Well I got ton of things on my mind, namely getting my website updated. I believe, as of today, the index page is still announcing the NSS in May 2008. Nice. I should point out that on page 90 of Craft Inc, I wrote that you should "Update your site frequently with news or new products." And clearly, I am leading by example. I also tell people to always have their business cards on them, yet I am always writing my contact information on the backsides of other people's business cards when I meet them. I'm awesome like that.

Ironically, next week you'll find me on as a guest blogger on design*sponge. Obviously, have the time and energy to blog, just not on my own blog.

As for the above cookbook, "The Abundant Table: Recipes from the Bishop's Ranch Kitchen", which I illustrated, is finally out. So far I've made the pancakes (hey, I'm starting off easy) and they are delicious! I can't wait to try out the rest of their healthy recipes. And I have to say that Laura Crookston Deleot, the graphic designer, did a wonderful job! Such a pleasure working with her. Here are a couple of images from the book:

(the inside cover)

(introductory section)

The Roots

I went with some of my friends from high school to see The Roots and Erykah Badu on Monday--which was really good. The Roots set was super short (like half an hour) and Erykah's set was super long (like 2-1/2 hours, I think?)! I love that along with her extra large hair which obscured her face, Erykah wore this funky red, grid-patterned pantsuit (which looked like something straight out of Andre 3000's closet), Urkel-style black-rimmed glasses, and mule tennis shoes (at least it looked like that from where I was sitting). I wouldn't doubt she probably had suspenders on underneath, too. Everything about it from the performance and music to her outfit seemed both feminine and masculine, uncompromised, vision-driven, and just plain nutty. Loved it.

Anyway, seeing The Roots again also reminded of a poster I made ten years ago. It was my final project in the one and only graphic design class I've ever taken. I took this class right after college when I realized that I was interested in more artistic pursuits. I remember choosing to hand-make this poster on manila paper instead of using a computer to design it.

It's always interesting to look back on your early work to see how far you've come and at the same time, to see what hasn't changed about you.

Podcasts

If you've got time to spare and want to hear me babble (on and on) about how I got started with my business(es) and what I've been doing over the past 9 years, I recently did a podcast with Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood of CraftSanity. I have to say that I actually enjoyed doing this podcast because it felt more like a conversation with friend than a press interview.

I also did a podcast several months ago with Chronicle Books. I was kinda nervous when I did that interview. Okay, why couldn't I remember what I covered in my book?! Seriously. There were some definite deer-in-the-headlights, crickets-a-chirping moments during that interview. Thank goodness it wasn't live. Thank goodness is wasn't filmed. And thank goodness for the magic of editing so that I seem like a competent book author. Um, really, I am!

I'm still getting used to doing these broadcast interviews and I tend to get all self-critical when I listen to myself speak, so I haven't actually listened to either podcast yet. But trust me, you should--you'll either walk away with some quasi-interesting information about me or maybe even some laughs at my expense. Either way, it's good times.

You Work for Them - Limited Edition Journal

I'm officially out of my limited edition silk screened journals! But don't despair, You Work for Them recently asked me to make them a limited number of the Pleat Journal in a special color way: yellow, blue, and red (primary colors, my faves). The original journal was in orange instead of red (but it looks similar on-screen). It's just $32.00, comes with a hand-screened cover, and 144 pages (textblock from Italy). And there are only 20 available. I will likely do more limited edition work this year, but not journals like this any more. So get one before they run out!

Post Stationery Show

I know, I am much slower to post than some people. But nevertheless, here is an image of the Mixed Co. booth last week. The Stationery Show (which we've affectionately dubbed "Summer Camp") was really great! In addition to the all-important store orders, we made good contacts with press, publishers, and other designers. It was validating to see the fruits of our pre-show marketing push with stores and press coming into the booth telling us they came specifically because of the mailer we sent out.

And it's always so much fun to meet with other designers (especially ones you've only "known" over email or blogs) and this year it seemed like there was more indie designers. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go around the Javits and visit as much as I wanted to...I kept feeling ill off and on. Maybe it was allergies or the dang air conditioner blasting in there! Overall, it was a really worthwhile show. And I seriously enjoyed all the laughs with the good company in the booth. Looking forward to next year!

National Stationery Show, May 18-21 (Booth 1448)

At the beginning of this year I started a new project/division called Mixed Co., which provides grassroots marketing and representation for independent designers. The first of several shows planned for 2008, we'll be at the National Stationery Show (Booth 1448) from May 18-21 at the Javits Center in New York City representing a talented group of designers including Allymoon, Good on Paper, Linea Carta, Laurel Denise, Nantaka Joy, and, of course, my company Mateo Ilasco. If you'll be visiting the show, do stop by and say hello!

Lines & Shapes, Vol. 2

I'm so happy to be a part of Maria & Lena's Lines & Shapes, Vol. 2. Other artists featured in the book are: Jim Green, Maditi, ThussFarrell, and Stephanie Waddell. It was great exploring the book's theme, "Block". I decoupaged wood blocks with graphic symbols and strung them together to create flexible wood block sculptures (see image above for one of the sculptures).

Below is an image that didn't make it into the book which shows almost all the blocks.

This image is in the book. I share a studio with a 3 other artists/designers, including Lisa of Good on Paper, and this is an image I shot of the blinds on her front window. I love black and white stripes!

The book is only $21 plus shipping or you can get a subscription so that you get all volumes. If you need visual inspiration, you should definitely have these on your bookshelf!

Articles

I was featured in the Wall Street Journal yesterday in a cool little article called "Crafty Hobbyists Create New Careers Using the Web". Though in the article it seems current, I actually started that wedding invitation business with a partner many moons ago...like 9 years ago and sold it about 3 years ago!

And I was also in another article back in February in the Washington Post and Entrepreneur.com that I forgot to mention. It was an article called "The Benefits of Pregnancy". I like how she used the term "blindsided" to describe my pregnancy (my tactful parents had a better word to describe it) --which just means that when you're crazy busy running your own business (and trying to go to grad school at the same time) you sometimes forget to take a certain daily dose of a certain something that stops surprises like this from happening. So take note women business owners! And seriously, I don't know what possessed me to think I could run a business and finish architecture school at the same time. Sometimes I overestimate my abilities to multi-task. Just a little bit. And I also have to point out that contrary to the article, I do not own a "craft store" (it might have been confused with the wedding invitation retail shop I used to own). I do have a studio in Berkeley, but please don't come knocking on my door looking to buy foam stamps or glue guns. Though I may part with my beadazzler for the right price.