packaging love

i totally geek out when it comes to beautiful packaging. i've been known to buy $10 bottles of evian and have never drank the water. i've brought beautifully designed cereal boxes on a 15 hour flight home as a souvenir for myself. i've done some extreme things in the name of packaging love so as you can imagine trips across the border will find me at the the usual stops: the whole foods, the local co-op and other beautiful grocery stores like the metropolitan market in seattle. what's more about these grocery stores in the states is that they sell alcohol as well and i will tell you flat out, i have bought many many many bottles of wine without having any idea what it would taste like. so this amazingly packaged beer from portland brewery full sail, was such a knock out, super detailed down to the super cute and witty bottle cap messages underneath. i loved the robins egg blue label and the typography is so sweet. so great. super bonus, the beer was super tasty as well.

heading to point roberts to pick up some books across the border next week and i can't wait to see what that little ghetto marketplace has in store.

20x200: today's specials

1. contact sheets: parsley stenwiess

2. west nineteenth street (yellow dress): joseph holmes

3. to live with you alone, red boiling springs tennessee: taj forer

4. elvind: michelle arcilla

beautiful and affordable prints from the jen bekman gallery's project 20x200.

love these so much.

nice...

been a fan of jeff (ng) staple's vision and ideas for a while, although a lot of their clothing hasn't really moved me, this, i really like... combine a hand drawn typeface with a really sweet message equals love for me... i think im going to have to buy this online, anyone know if any vancouver retailers carry staple design?

i heart ed kwong

"its kind of like an out of body experience" is how i describe what it feels like to see ed's work. different parts of my imagination that are usually blanketed over, are awakened and brought to life. ed is amazing and on top of that a super gentle and down to earth guy. sublimely talented. he is in vietnam right now, so im hoping he's gonna have some more beauties like these in his sketchbook. check him out, you will be a better person for it. www.edkwong.com

insanely gorgeous!

monday mornings need some serious kick starting for me but my favourite blogs usually do the trick... this monday was no exception (even though with daylight savings, i technically had an extra hour.) via the super fantastic, www.swiss-miss.com these are some insanely detailed paper cut outs of maps of new york city by karen o'leary. im getting dizzy just thinking about keeping track of all the white spaces and all the cut out spaces. so crazy! awe-inspiring... just what i needed...

beautify your bike

via designspongeonline.com this morning. i swooned and at the same time wished it wasn't raining so i could take my bike out and buy one of these amazing, hand carved, leather bike seats. these are so gorgeous! i checked out the artist's site kara ginther of madison, wisconsin and she also does beautiful carvings into shoes, belts all things leather and a collection of leather bound books is coming soon. so beautiful!

over the pond

a little invite i did for a friend in london town, hope you guys have a blast, and all you businessy types loosen up those ties! live jazz is always fun!

calligraphy styles

last month, the lovely people at VIBC, the vancouver international bhangra celebration society threw an beautiful, intimate dinner party/fundraiser hosted and prepared by vancouver's favourite chef, vikram vij.

with this lovely event, i was commissioned to create 50 hand-written and hand painted invitations for this special night.

these were definitely a labour of love and i am really happy with the results and have gotten some great feedback. here's a look at the invitations and a sweet shot of a place card at the evening's event*.

(*will be coming)

time flies

geesh time flies! i have been on a 6 month hiatus from blogging, literally its almost been 6 months! but im back and im ready to go! so much new stuff has happened in the last 6 months that its going to be crazy to try and get caught up and share with you here but it will be done! glad to be back, i've missed you!

happy friday!

happy friday everyone! i thought i'd get the weekend started with this sweet motown jam! there are lots of amazing crafty things going on this weekend, MakeIt debuts at the Roundhouse Community Center tonight, with drinks and a dj after 4pm and running all weekend, as well as the ever so amazing GotCraft? happening at the Royal Canadian Legion this sunday! im kinda bummed my weekend plans fell through and i won't be participating in the shows but that means i get to do some shopping! stay tuned to see what kind of treasures i bring home!