Falling Behind...

I know it's been a couple of days since my last post, and oh yes, I apologize. I have actually been diligently working on wedding invitations for my amazing friend Jessie. It has been a learning process for both of us, but we are nearing completion. Next Friday we will get to pick them up from a digital print house that I discovered and visited the other day. After walking in their entrance, I instantly eyed the Charles Spencer Anderson prints they had framed around their office. After asking, I discovered that they have printed several of their projects. CSA is a design firm based in Minneapolis, and I adore their work. Check out their website if you haven't already. http://www.csadesign.com/ or go to mrfrench.com, where their French Paper identity is displayed. The graphics are whimsical and bright, reflective on the past yet relevant.

P.S. I'm going to try glass etching at some point in the next few days. Wish me luck, and I will post pictures of my success or failure. Either way, let's be honest about results, folks.

My Love for Anthropologie

All images above are from anthropologie.com.

I can't help but share my love of the store Anthropologie with you. After moving to Minnesota I had the opportunity to explore the items by getting to touch and feel them, rather than staring at them via the catalog. There are a couple of stores in the area, and the retail environment is just as impressive as the catalog and online store suggested. The antique-inspired, rustic-turned-contemporary feel of their products (furniture, home decor, clothing, etc.) places me in design heaven! Every item has a particular respect for design quality, including the books they choose to sell. While most of their products are quite pricey, it is possible to find a deal in the sale section. Some of their smaller products also fit into a thrifty lifestyle budget. I have posted some of my favorites from their current catalog above.

Discovering Mobile Me and CS4

Recently I have had unfortunate luck, and my Apple Powerbook decided it was time to rest for all of eternity. After spending a few hours with my head resting on the desk of the Apple Genius bar, I found out that my hard drive had crashed, along with several other components.

As sad as this story is, it has a lovely outcome. I am now the proud owner of a new computer, and the purchase gave me the excuse to upgrade my Adobe software to CS4 from my outdated CS2 version. I'll be blogging about the great new features I discover along the way. The guy at the Apple Store also convinced me that I could benefit from a Mobile Me membership. I was reluctant until he shared that it allows me to sync my i-Phone calendar with the one on my computer. It also gives me an online FTP site that eliminates the frustrations that come with attempting to send large design files via e-mail.

With my new technology, I am on the road to finishing my portfolio and finding a job in the Twin Cities. I have realized throughout the past year in MN that I can't keep myself away from design, no matter how hard I try. I'm constantly looking for new projects, whether they are freelance or personal experimentations. If I'm not designing I'm reading an article out of Print Mag. Hmm...I might be slightly obsessed.