Christmas Spirit

After a three month adventure traveling & farming in the South of France, I returned to the US to spend Thanksgiving with my family. 


My parents moved from Savannah to Chattanooga this summer and it has been a wonderful experience exploring the city with my family. Hiking, seeing the muppets movie, enjoying a great time out at Public House, walking the family basset hound, and sharing incredible meals made by my dad have made for a refreshing transition back to America. 


I'm headed back to NYC tomorrow and am excited to get into the Christmas spirit. I spent the morning uploading some Christmas classics like Bing Cosby's Merry Christmas. 

I loved the New York Magazine Muppet's Gift Guide and can't wait to see the window displays on 5th ave. I have to admit I've never seen It's a Wonderful Life, so that is a top priority this Christmas. I'm looking forward to being back in Brooklyn roasting vegetables and drinking hot toddy's. I'm especially excited to design, print, and mail my own holiday greeting cards. 


Cheers, here's to the holidays! 

Ville de Nice

Bonjour! I am on a train to Aix-en-Provence after four days in Nice, France. My time was brief but rich. Traveling alone has granted me the unexpected luxury of spending minimal amounts of money. I have become less interested in consuming (both food & goods) as in simply experiencing, and this realization delights me greatly.

Every morning I strolled down to the beach with a yoga mat, towel, sunglasses, and a copy of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. I soaked in the warm sunshine and gazed out into the vibrant, electric azure of the Mediterranean. There is no sand on the beach – only small rocks, weathered to the softness of suede. When I was hot, I took a dip in the clear, light blue water. When I was hungry, I had a refreshing tuna baguette. When the midday sun got too harsh, I wandered into Old Town, where the tall historic buildings shaded the small cobblestone streets and provided relief from the sun. Every afternoon I treated myself to one scoop of lavender ice cream. In the evenings, I made my way back to the beach to watch the day’s palette turn from bright blues to soft pinks, yellows, and peaches.

                                                    

9/11, ten years later

Ten years ago today, I was in a painting class as a junior in high school. We turned on the news and watched the smoke billow from the first tower, listening to the news anchors' alarmed confusion about the "accident" that had just occurred. Moments later, still glued to the TV, the second plane crashed live, right before our eyes. I will never forget that moment of horror. Every class was canceled that day as we quietly conversed and watched the news, hungry for information. That evening I went to a friend's house to study for an American History exam. We spoke of the irony of the situation as we went over flash cards for a piece of history that I can't even recall now. Though images and moments from that day will be forever vivid, the outstanding memory is that of coming together in a way that I had not experienced before. A true feeling of pride for the country - all fifty states united, mourning for the tragedy that occurred. My world was instantly expanded beyond my small coastal Georgia town - I now had a heightened interest for and awareness of the country at large, and the parts of the world that had attacked us.

Since that day, I have voted in two elections, graduated from high school and from college, moved to New York City, and worked for several companies - paying state & federal taxes. I am a New Yorker and also, in a way, more of an American citizen, in that I contribute and consume with my own income. I'm in Paris at the moment, which makes this ten year anniversary especially interesting for me because I'm looking at America from a somewhat removed perspective. It's funny though, because this trip abroad leaves me feeling less removed than previous trips across the pond. I have a computer with me and am able to email friends & family, check Facebook, and browse my favorite blogs.  Overall, I realize that I am still very connected. Through social media, I am able to check in daily with almost everyone I know - be it childhood friends, family, recent coworkers, or my best buds. It doesn't matter whether they are in New York, California, Amsterdam, or South Korea. We share stories, joys, sorrows, news, and photos. We engage in conversations: expressing sympathy to a friend for a loss of a parent, celebrating a beautiful home cooked meal, laughing together over the "d'oh" moments on the day, and high-fiving each other for accomplishments small and large.

I can't help but wonder if this shared desire for constant connectedness is in any way a response to 9/11 and the increased national unity that followed. While that past ten years have been filled with a generous share of bad news (Katrina & the collapse of the economy are two that come to mind immediately), I can't help but delight in the fact that we can now share the news - good and bad, all together. We remain united - through social media, but more importantly, through our desire to stay connected to each other.


P.S. While we are talking about 9/11, I have to take a moment to wish a very happy birthday to one of my dearest friends, Ashley Norton! While I can't be there to celebrate with her tonight, I can at least share my love on my blog, which I know she will read :)

Bonjour mes amis!

Greetings from Paris! After a whirlwind of a summer (leaving the magazine world after four years, striking out on my own to support myself through graphic design & letterpress printing), I am in Paris, calm & curious. Ever so lucky, friends of family friends offered to let me stay with them in the suburb of Vanves, which is incredibly charming.

I love the change of pace from New York to the suburbs. I love the beautiful 20 minute walk from the house to the metro station. I love the 20 minute metro ride from Vanves to the center of Paris, the time to quietly observe the Parisians around me, and to eagerly anticipate my day. In the evenings it's nice to sit on the metro after walking all day and reflect, and look forward to dinner with the family.

I am taking this time to just be with myself. My time in New York was almost always given outwards and rarely inwards. Amid the fast pace of the city, my goal-oriented & list-making nature intensified exponentially and I found myself working very hard (which I do enjoy) but without giving myself much time to rest & reflect (which I also enjoy, but rarely make time for).

While I love the city of Paris, what I am most enjoying is the luxury of travel. I've briefly stepped away from my life and have no to-do list or any deadlines to meet. I'm following a walking-tour book of Paris for some general direction, but for the most part I conduct my day based on my own immediate desires. If I want to stop on a bench and just look around for an hour, that is what I do. Or linger over a cafe au lait and a croissant at a cafe and write pages upon pages in my sketchbook. Or walk for hours up and down cobblestone streets admiring the bountiful flowers in the windows, snapping countless photographs.

It is literally a far off dream that has come true, and I am savoring every moment.

BAGGU

Loving these colors, from BAGGU as on Poppytalk's Pinterest board

Ladies of Letterpress Conference: Social Media

If you have been following my blog, facebook, or twitter accounts - you are well aware that I attended the first Ladies of Letterpress conference two weekends ago in Asheville, NC. 


The organization is relatively new - it was started a couple of years ago by printers Jessica C. White and Kseniya Thomas and now has over 1100 members. The conference took place at the Renaissance Hotel in Asheville for panel discussions & a trade/printer's fair, and also at Asheville Bookworks, a community printshop. Experts demonstrated various techniques related to printmaking. 


Ever the nerd, I took lots of notes on the discussions and demonstrations that were particularly relevant to me. I took a few photos, but ended up more frequently opting for pen & paper to scribble comments instead of reaching for my camera. 


I'm still trying to wrap my head around social media and I found the "Tweeting in Lead" panel very helpful. I've typed out my notes for anyone who's interested.




Social Media & Letterpress
Nole from Oh So Beautiful Paper graciously shared lots of tip about blogs. She addressed the importance of keeping your own blog with your own work, but also submitting to editorial blogs (like hers, or others).


Blogging for yourself:
- Let your client & potential clients get to know you better: post recent work that displays what kind of work you do. Also post about things that let them know who you are: design influence, color palettes, food, music - but keep it related to your personality & brand. She pointed out that a blog is basically a virtual interview. 
-  SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Nole recommends choosing a few key words that describe your brand, or words that people would type in a search engine to find you. These words should be sprinkled throughout your posts and also image names should include there words. Also, for better SEO results, your blog should be apart of your website (ex: website.com/blog)
- Blog on a regular schedule: clients may assume you have switched gears with something else if you haven't blogged for three months or so. Also, its generally better to have consistency in the frequency of your posts. 
- Build blogging into your work schedule. If you keep a blog, it should be given its own time slot, just like responding to emails. 


Getting featured on editorial blogs:
- PR = free editorial media, Marketing = paid media. With PR, it is a case of quality over quantity. A well done editorial blog post may be more beneficial than a paid small advertisement on a blog. 
- Read the submission guidelines & submit a complete package.
- Nole does NOT recommend sending a generic introductory email that says "Hi here's a link to my website" - blog editors don't have time to poke around your site.
- Make sure your work is in the aesthetic of the blog you are submitting to. Find appropriate blogs to match your style.
- Know your goal for submitting. Is it to get more clients? Enhance your SEO? More brand visibility? 
- Submit to one blog at a time. Quality over quantity. That said, its ok to give the recipient a deadline for which to respond to you. If you don't hear back, follow up once and then it is fine to move on to the next blog. 
- Use their real names (ex. Hi Nole, not Hi Oh So Beautiful Paper). It shows you know the blog and have done a bit of research.
- Never send press releases to blogs. A press release says "Here is some news about me" not "Here is something worth blogging about."


Allison Chapman from Igloo Press gave some social media insight from a printer's perspective. A few points & suggestions that I found helpful:


- Consider having 2 twitter accounts, one for yourself and personal comments, and one for your business and studio updates.
- The number of twitter followers is not important. What matters is how engaged your followers are. Are they making purchases? Coupon codes are helpful for this purpose. 
- Use Facebook & Twitter to explain what letterpress is by showing recent projects and works in progress. Give a sense of what your studio feels like - make it a destination.
- Split your facebook posts & tweets between informational, fun, and sales pitches. 


Happy tweeting! 

Julia Child: My Life in France

I finished reading Julia Child's My Life in France last week and wow, what an inspiration. I picked it up a few weeks ago, at the same time I was beginning to edit the text for my website. I was a little self conscious about my tone - I'm pretty happy go lucky, and tend to overuse the word "lovely." I wanted to be myself but not be over the top. As I was reading Julia, it dawned on me that she had her own unique, happy voice and I doubt it ever crossed her mind how she came across to others - she was strong in who she was. 


In addition, Julia has inspired me in so many ways. Her curiosity to research and experiment - when she wanted to teach Americans how to bake French bread, she didn't just throw together a recipe. She tried every possible flour, yeast, water combination. When she still wasn't yielding the results she wanted, she went to a Parisian baker who gave her some pointers. Months later she figured it out, due to her dedication to her craft. 


Another moment that stood out: after her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking was such a success, she dove in to write Volume II and also was just getting the TV program going. She and Paul were super crazed and debated putting off plans to visit friends in Provence. They looked at each other and said nothing is more important than friends; work can wait. As I am busy building my own career, I take this piece of advice to heart. 


To me, the book is about a woman filled with love - love for cooking, for learning, for teaching, for working hard, for her husband & friends, and love for her life. Thank you Julia! 

Greetings from Asheville, NC

Down south in the Tennessee & North Carolina Blue Ridge mountains for the weekend. My parents have moved from the charming, historic Savannah up to vibrant and exciting Chattanooga. I've always felt at home in the mountains, and the view during my flight to Chattanooga was just breathtaking. Mom and I took a little road trip up to Knoxville to visit YeeHaw Industries Letterpress Studio (pictures to come) and had a great lunch at the Tomato Head. We are in Asheville for the weekend for the first Ladies of Letterpress Conference. I'm so excited to learn and to meet other ladies in the industry. Mom and I are sitting in my favorite bookstore/coffeeshop, Malaprops, catching up emails, but are about to poke around Asheville before the letterpress festivities start.  I likely will be tweeting during the conference so feel free to follow my tweets. Happy weekend! 

The Cone Sisters & Henri Matisse

I went to the Jewish Museum yesterday afternoon and was blown away by the exhibit about the Cone Sisters & their art collection. They were from Baltimore and very revolutionary in their interest in Modern Art. Their brothers were in the textile industry and when their father died, asked them to go to New York City to spend $300 on items to enliven the family home. They spent the money on 5 pieces of new modern art, which began a lifetime of collecting. This thoughtful exhibit showcases their exquisite art collection, but what fascinated me was their friendship with Henri Matisse. Seeing his work in this context really struck a chord with me - the colors seemed louder & purer & more beautiful than ever before.

"Colors have a beauty of their own which must be preserved, as one strives to preserve pure tones in music. It is a question of organization and construction that is sensitive to maintaining this beautiful freshness of color... What counts most with color are relationships... No doubt there are a thousand different ways of working with color. But when one composes with it, like a musician with harmonies, it is simply a question of emphasizing the differences." - Henri Matisse, 1945

Pony Swim by Marissa Textor

I love this graphite drawing so much: Pony Swim by Marissa Textor.

Summertime Stationery Special

Line-dry colors

When I lived in Cortona, Italy for a fine-art study abroad program in the fall of 2005, we washed all of our clothes in the bathtub by hand, and then walked them outside to the clothesline behind our dorm room. This meant doing your laundry not only depended on when you had the time, but also on the weather. I learned the Italians especially do not believe in driers. Our professor told the story of an Italian friend who came to visit him in the States and how the friend found any branch outside to hang his wet laundry on, because "driers are the devil, don't you know!"


As summer rolls on, I am trying to remember part of my intention for leaving the corporate world. My intention for a calmer, simpler, more beautiful life. I did my laundry this morning at the local laundomat (not quite as convenient as a washer in my house, but better than washing it all in the tub!) but decided that any piece that I really loved, I would take home to line dry. Imagine my delight, as I was hanging, the beautiful palette of blues, grays, greens, and whites.. perfect for summer. I dream of the time and space when I can hang everything outside in my garden to dry, but in the meantime, my bathtub will do, and I will be grateful for the beauty that is there. 

Wednesday Breakfast

Ha may as well keep the breakfast thing going. Its been so fun! 


Today's menu: chopped scallions, zucchini, and spinach in a skillet with some olive oil & salt until soft & yummy. I put those in a bowl while I fried 2 small local farm eggs & cut up some small heirloom cherry tomatoes. Greens in the bowl, then the tomatoes, then eggs on top. 

Meanwhile I'm waiting for a big fancy paper/envelope delivery. Excited to spend this afternoon letterpressing wedding stationery for a friend in Santa Barbara, and also moving announcements for my parents. Finishing up a website design for a friend, and also for myself. Busy, busy but loving the self-employed life!! 

Time for Breakfast

I'm a morning person by nature. I'm really just not a big sleeper. Though I no longer set a morning alarm for work, I find that I'm still waking up with the sun. The joyous part though, is instead of racing to work, I am really enjoying a leisurely morning before starting my day. Yesterday I made toast with dijon mustard & a fried egg with an iced Americano. Today, a spinach/strawberry/banana smoothie with a cold raw/vegan breakfast salad consisting of heirloom baby tomatoes, thin cucumber slices, avocado, and olive oil with fresh dill. 

Looking at inspiring blogs, writing in my own blog, jotting to-do lists for the day... I'm still busy as ever, but now its my own busy, with time for a good breakfast, and I like that.

Sunday Evening

After a total insane week at work (and another one coming up - albeit my last at MSL!), I also spent all day yesterday & today working on my website, various letterpress design jobs, and trying to get all my files from my MSL computer. 


Home now from a yummy sushi dinner & Blue Marble ice-cream. Malbec in hand, feet up, the Discreet Charm of the Borgeiouse on Netflix streaming.. what more could I want?

PS - How awesome would this be for a Halloween costume?!

Willing to be Lucky

It is with a joyful heart that I announce to you, my dear readers, my big news. I have quit my job from Martha Stewart Living, from the publishing industry, and from the corporate world. I am now officially a starving artist, and nothing could make me happier. I am free.

I moved to New York City in August of 2007 with a simple dream in my heart: to be a graphic designer at Domino Magazine. With some good luck, that dream worked out for me. In my truest heart of hearts, I believe in what E.B. White is quoted to have said some years ago: 

Here is New York. It can destroy an individual, or it can fulfill him, depending a good deal on luck. No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.

The combination of great luck and much hard work also landed me incredible jobs at New York Magazine, and most recently as an art director at Martha Stewart Living. I have been SO LUCKY! 

I have been blessed with an optimistic outlook on life. Its sometimes borderline comical and almost always cheesy & hopelessly romantic. I credit a lot of my good luck to my optimistic outlook.  I also grew up with the understanding that:

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall, much be required. 


(Which, apparently is from the BIBLE, as I just learned from a quick google search - Luke 12:48. I always thought that came from an American President..)

In other words, I've always felt like I owed it to those less fortunate. Those who may have the same drive & vision I do, but not the opportunity to see it to fruition. I am so blessed and therefore, I owe it to myself and to the world to be the best that I can be, and chase my dreams as honestly as I can. If I may be so bold to stand on a soapbox for a second, and declare that so much of my generation strives to get by on as little work as possible meanwhile feeling entitled to countless luxuries, I find it utterly fulfilling and creatively satisfying to truly work as hard as I can creating my own work. 

It is with this in mind that I have left the corporate office to pursue my own work and my own direction. Working at these three amazing magazines has taught me so much - both design skills, professional etiquette and how to be successful under pressure. Ha I will stop now before this starts to sound like a cover letter.

Below is my first page I designed at domino, and in a few weeks my website will be up & running & displaying my favorite pieces work I've done in the past several years. 

Father's Day Cards

I made these colorful Father's Day Cards a few weeks back. They are available for sale in my Etsy shop. Show some love for dad - Father's Day is June 19. Still plenty of time to order!

Cool paper idea

Love this image from American Songwriter Magazine. Such a cool idea to use textured, colored paper to add to the silo'd photograph. 

Boycott Urban Outfitters Inc.

This spring I finally decided to see what the fuss was about and joined Twitter. Its pretty fun - its like facebook but instead of seeing status updates of high school friends sharing with the world their work/gym schedule or a million photos of babies, I read cool bits of news from designers that I admire. I saw this retweeted yesterday but someone that I follow and retweeted as well:

Here is the link: http://imakeshinythings.tumblr.com/post/5855716317/not-cool-urban-outfitters-not-cool


I was upset to see that Urban Outfitters was blatantly ripping off an independent designer. I thought of my shopping cart at anthropologie.com and decided, you know what, I'd rather source only local/vintage goods instead of anything from them. I've always challenged myself to buy used/vintage whenever possible out of the spirit of reuse/recycle and but of course, like many of us, new, shiny (and usually cheaper, made-in-China) things are always a temptation. 


This morning I looked on twitter and saw this post:

http://www.myaimistrue.com/2011/05/urban-outfitters-ripoff-trending-topic/


Pretty incredible! My first thought yesterday was "Man that's such a bummer, but what is she going to do? Sue Urban Outfitters?"How amazing that social media could stir up so much fuss and made Urban Outfitters take the item off their site!! So cool! Go crafters! 

Christopher Baker

Wow, I just want to dive into Christopher Baker's breathtaking, romantic photographs.