Cecily Ink's blog

Launching my new blog

2010-08-06T10:20:00.001-07:00

Well, fans, the wait is over: I've decided to launch a new blog that's tied to my graphic design business, Defteling Design. I hope you'll visit me there and follow along with me as I'll explore graphic design, art, and life in general.

happy holidays

2009-12-18T14:00:00.001-08:00

I know it's a week early but because of upcoming travels, I wanted to wish everyone an early Happy Holidays!

As you check back here, please don't be alarmed if you don't see any regular posts for a little while.

Since shutting down Cecily Ink, I've started several new creative endeavors (such as my illustration etsy shop and vintage assemblage etsy shop) while continuing to grow and service my graphic design studio.

With so many interests, I jump from typography to illustration to Etsy round-ups to shop reviews to photos of my pets! I think it's time to focus my energies a bit and figure out exactly where to take this blog. So while I'm on hiatus, please feel free to share your thoughts of what you might like to see here in the future.

Until then, best wishes to each of you!

and the winner is...

2009-12-17T12:15:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to: Jenn and Sinnicism!

Please send me your mailing address and I'll get this fun dayplanner popped in the mail to you straight away! (please email to defteling[at]hotmail.com)

For those of you who didn't win, remember that I have an Etsy shop where I sell limited edition prints (both matted or framed) and I'll be adding new illustrations in January!

more giveaway goodness

2009-12-16T16:21:00.001-08:00

Gentle reminder: midnight tonight is the deadline to enter for your chance to win one of my 2010 dayplanners! Just click here and leave a comment.

In the meantime, there's a fun give-away over at Crow and Canary where you'll have till next Tuesday for a chance to win this pretty letterpress print Nik Bresnick of Bittersugar:

Good luck, everyone!

my Crafy Wonderland treasures

2009-12-15T14:48:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday was Crafty Wonderland's Colossal Holiday Sale and I had a colossal good time!

As much as I dislike crowds, I must admit it was inspirational to see such a great turn-out for this event. Not sure what the final numbers are, but by 2pm, over 4500 crafty, artsy, and indie fans had crossed the threshold and were doing their best to boost our local economy!

It took me over three hours to make it all the way through the 200+ vendors and I must say, I was a bit sad when I got the end of the very last aisle... oh, well, time for round two!

It was a great mix of artists but here are my top faves from this year's show:

Faune Yerby's work caught my eye when I very first walked through the doors. She collages her photographic images in a really nostalgic way that totally fits my taste for vintage chic. Although her pieces consist of numerous small photographs, they all work together to create a larger image that pulls you in to tell a story. You can find more of her work in her Etsy shop here.

Next up is Lisa Kaser. I had not seen her work before and I absolutely fell in love with her whimsical style and quirky characters. I came home with the two prints above: "Spring" on the left and "I'll cook for you" on the right. I've already framed them and just need to find the perfect spot to hang them! You can check out all of Lisa's work here and purchase prints at her Etsy shop here.

I've admired Johanna Wright's work for quite a while (see last year's blog post here) and decided it was finally time to add this print to my collection (yes indeed, I'm actually starting to run out of wall space now!) She also just released a new book she's illustrated and I have a feeling this whale is part of that story. Check out her website here and Etsy shop here.

Last but not least, I was thrilled to see Lori Shippy again at this year's show. She and I did a little trade last year and I ended up with two of her small white birds that I absolutely adore (see blog post here). This year, I added one of her black crows to my collection, and it's already found a home in the upstairs hallway. I also love Lori's giving-back philosophy: 20% of all of her profits go towards building wells in Togo, West Africa! See more of Lori's work on her website here and her Etsy shop here.

giveaway » 2010 dayplanner

2009-12-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

Last night, the time had finally come to pick up my Defteling Design client gifts at the printer and boy, am I pleased with the final result!

The black binding really emphasizes the black lineart illustrations and the colors just pop off the page. Tomorrow is my time to play Santa (no, I'm not dressing up!) and deliver/mail out my gift to my various clients.

Since posting sneak previews, I've had several requests to purchase a dayplanner, which unfortunately, I'm not able to sell. However, don't fret: I've decided to raffle off a dayplanner for two lucky winners right here on my blog!

All you need to do is leave a comment below and you'll be entered to win! If you repost this on your own blog, leave a second comment with the link to your blog and double your chances to win!

The winner will be picked and announced next week Thursday (enter by midnight PST on Wednesday 12/16). Good luck, everyone!

open for business: my new etsy shop!

2009-12-02T06:05:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited, I finally have my new Etsy shop up and running, stocked to the brims with matted and framed prints of my new illustrations!

I start by hand-drawing the illustrations in pen and ink. After I scan them, the real fun begins: digitally adding color, textures, and shapes! I love playing with scale and transparency, drawing some of the background illustrations (like the bee in "Taste of Summer" below) really large, only to reduce them once scanned. That makes the illustration more realistic-looking which is a nice contrast to the more loose style of the main drawings.

I purchased a new fancy-shmancy printer that uses archival inks that are guaranteed to last over 100 years! Yeah, none of us will be around by then so I guess that's an easy sales pitch to make... Regardless, the print quality is amazing and I use acid-free, fine artisan papers and conservation-quality rag mats so the prints should definitely last a life-time!

Look for new designs to be added in the new year! Check it out here: alexwijnen.etsy.com!

holiday studio sale

2009-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited about this weekend's studio sale at Stubborn!

Mel Stiles has been one of my long-time favorite jewelry artists (I own three of her gorgeous necklaces, I just can't get enough!) and she's opening her doors for a holiday studio sale this Saturday and Sunday!

Besides stunning jewelry, Mel will also be selling oh-so-cool purses and darling ornaments – so grab your list and head on over to the Stubborn Studio Sale this weekend!

Oh, almost forgot: I'll be there, too, for part of the time, selling some remaining Cecily Ink cards and gift wrap at rock-bottom prices ($1 per card and per sheet!).

Not only that, I'll be debuting my new line of illustrations that I originally created for my day planner client gift. I'll have both framed and unframed prints available (stay tuned for my Etsy shop Grand Opening in the next day or so!)

S T U B B O R N Studio Sale
Saturday Dec. 5 + Sunday Dec. 6 • 11am to 3pm • snacks & drinks provided • kids welcome!
2928 NE 11th Ave • Portland OR 97212

house present

2009-11-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

I know 't is the season to buy presents for all your family and friends but I recently bought a present for my house. Okay, so it was really a present for myself but definitely in honor of our house: a set of bowls that together make up our house number, 1848!

Gleena Ceramics can customize numbers up to 49 - what a great gift idea for a birthday (or a house warming gift). Check out more of her great creations at her website. (photos below from Gleena's site)

Another house gift was the table runner you saw in my photos. It came all the way from Japan via Kalla's etsy shop. Love all her graphic printed fabrics, pillows, tea towels and more. (photos below from Kalla's site)

day planner goes to press

2009-11-23T12:21:00.000-08:00

Last month I shared a few sneak peeks at some illustrations I've been doing for my 2009 client gift for Defteling Design. Well, today the project actually went on press – and I'm thrilled with the results!

After checking (and re-checking) the mocked-up proof, the full-color images are printed on a huge 6-color press at Brown Printing, one of the collaborators on this fun project.

The cover was up first. I incorporated one of my favorite illustrations (July) for the cover, which will then be printed with a solid blue on the back and folded in half, so that the yearly calendar to the right becomes the inside left front cover.

When it was time to press check the monthly divider pages, I was ecstatic: so much goodness, so much richness and texture! I know, I designed it so why am I all freaked out, but it was just so shocking (in a good way!) to see them all lined up like this. I brought back an extra press sheet so I can hang it in my office.

Next are the two-color weekly planner pages and then it's off to the bindery for black wire-o binding. I can't wait to hold the finished planner in my hands! And yes, I haven't forgotten about the giveaway. Stay tuned, I'll post the giveaway as soon as the planner is all done!

etsy roundup » plushies

2009-11-18T06:03:00.000-08:00

As a kid I collected stuffed animals like there was no tomorrow! I felt this strong urge to give every critter that crossed my path a home. The result was a bed overflowing with soft plushies of all varieties – at times there was barely room for me to go to sleep!

Although I've given up my collection long ago, I haven't lost my soft spot for stuffed bears, rag dolls, and other cozy creatures. Here is a collection of little darlings that are looking for a new home – maybe yours? (click on the image to link to their Etsy store)

trash to treasure

2009-11-16T15:06:00.001-08:00

This weekend I made the rounds at my favorite antique malls: Stars in Sellwood and Monticello in NE Portland. I hadn't picked up anything and was almost done going through the mall when this little guy winked at me from behind the locked glass display case:

He totally reminded me of the little elephant that I found last spring, which I promptly turned into an assemblage piece:

Once I got home, I checked and yes, they're both made by Rempel, a toy maker from the '50s! I already have a few ideas for this little piggy so stay tuned to see how his new home turns out.

In the meantime, I turned an old little, wooden drawer into a new woodland home for Bambi:

Check out this along with a few other assemblage pieces in my Etsy shop, AtticAntics.

etsy roundup » typography

2009-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

As a graphic designer, I deal with type every day. I love exploring the different feelings that different typefaces can evoke but I must admit, in the midst of working on a 40-page newsletter, fonts can become a bit mundane so I try to step back and look with fresh eyes at the beauty of typography.

Inspiration can be found all around us, from magazines to TV commercials, magazines and leaflets, even the credit cards in your wallet. But for a quick fix, I head to my true blue: Etsy.com.

Here's just a sampling of type-inspired designs (hint: they'd all make great gifts for everyone from type fanatics to the type challenged!):

Love this line of jewelry by Plastique. Simple, modern and mysterious at the same time – at least to those who don't speak type. "FPO" means "for placement only," something we designers put on top of images that are not the final image, and "kern" is the act of adjusting the space between letters to make the type appear even (so clever, these two rings worn on two fingers!)

Great visual texture on this block-printed, 100% linen pillow from 1Girl1Boy.

I'm a total night-light girl, I'll admit it: I do get a bit freaked out in the dark! This silk-screened version from Bloomin Lumen is the perfect blend of illumination and style.

This wonderful quilted-cover notebook by Daily Threads is perfect for journaling. The hand-stenciled letters stand in strong contrast to the fabric pattern, yet the overall result is soft and comfy – perfect to curl up with on the couch or in your favorite outdoor hangout.

This fun screen-print by Slide Sideways pretty much says it all: yes, maybe, no way! On a sidenote (no pun intended), I like this actual photo of the print as well; nice colored wall and interesting composition!

This just might be the coolest tie ever: filled with layers of Lorem Ipsum ("greeked" placeholder type, although it actually resembles Latin more than anything), this tone-on-tone tie by Toybreaker is so classy!

Punky Jane makes a variety of customized jewelry, including necklaces with monthly calendars (great way to commemorate an anniversary or birthday!) but this simple "dream" necklace remains one of my faves.

Overlapping layers of letterpressed type and graphics create a colorful collage in this mini poster by Lot 9 Press.

This series of alphabet cards would be perfect to send out this holiday season (letterpressed by Hijirik.)

Another alphabet series, this one by Jenn Ski, that would be perfect in a nursery (although I would totally hang this in any room of my child-less home – maybe in the B for Bedroom?).

And while this last one doesn't involve letters per se, these graphic symbols and iconography by Michelle Christina are very cool. Fun to display as a grouping like this but also great to use individually throughout the house.

favorite things

2009-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

The weather is changing, days are getting shorter, and I've caught myself feeling rather sad that summer is indeed over – it's time to settle in for the long, wet and cold winter ahead, ugh!

The nice thing is that I get to spend cozy weekends lounging on the sofa with a hot cup of tea and a warm blanket and purring kitty on my lap. Those are the times when I look around in contentment – things are as they should be: hubby in his chair, dogs at my feet, candles lit... I'm home!

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite things around the house that make me feel at home, and at peace.

Todd spotted these love birds at last year's Super Colossal Holiday Sale. I love the gestural quality and simple design (sorry, can't remember the artist...)

This antique wall clock has been in my mother's family for generations. It belonged to her grandmother – she even remembers it hanging on the wall when she would go visit her oma! My great-aunts gave it to me and Todd as a wedding present, and I absolutely cherish this family heirloom. Because we emigrated from the Netherlands when I was 16, I only have a few things that were handed down to me, which makes this clock with its worn patina and pretty sound extra special.

This darling mug was given to me by a very dear family friend when I was little and living in Denmark. It reads "Alexandra" and, quite frankly, I had forgotten all about it until a few years ago my mom pulled it out of a cupboard during a visit home. She had saved it for me all these years – thanks, Mom!

The first year we were married, Todd and I expanded our fur family to include a Dutch mini lopear bunnie we named Knuffeltje ("little huggeable one" in Dutch). We discovered an artist at a local gallery who made these wonderful rabbits, so for Christmas that year, we had her make one that looked like our little Knuffel!

I've loved transferware for a long time, particularly red, brown and black pieces. I have a little collection of mismatched pieces that I display in a small hutch. I should really start using them more – they make me happy every time I look at them!

I bought this piece in San Francisco while shopping with a friend. I'm sure I overpaid but I loved the crackly, creamy finish.

This orchid has been alive longer than any of its predecessors – that, in and of itself, deserves a spot among my list of favorite things, given how I manage to kill most plants within mere weeks of bringing them home!

We found these apothecary jars at Sesame & Lilies in Cannon Beach. They had one that said "cannabis," too, but I liked how these two are at different heights, creating more visual interest.

More containers, this time in the kitchen. I bought this set at the Portland Antique Expo almost 7 years ago, to reward myself for launching Defteling Design (quite a scary thing, to leave a steady paycheck and jump into the world of freelance – so I figured I deserved a little sumthin' sumthin').

The vendor who sold me this vintage slide tried to tell me it was taken in France but I know better: there's nothing more Dutch than this, an old cobblestone street with the typically Dutch stair-stepped gables!

This little metal lunch pail sits on a shelf right inside my office downstairs. Currently, it's empty but I'm enjoying the thought of what I might stash in it someday...

A few years ago, I came across a box full of old letterpress letters. Love at first sight! Sadly, the letters were quite spendy so I picked up only a few – enough to spell out "design" and my initials.

So while the skies turn dark and grey around me, and wet leaves fall from the trees, I remind myself of how lucky I am to be surrounded by so much love and visual inspiration – I guess 't is the season to be thankful!

(not so) junk mail

2009-11-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

I collect all kinds of things, from antique ironstone pitchers to chunks of moss picked up during a walk, even junk mail! I know, I know – a lot of direct mail can be distinctly lacking in visual impact but during the last few weeks, I received some direct mail that I most definitely found worthy of saving.

First up is Target. Okay, so it's no surprise that they are über-savvy when it comes to design. However, I had never received any targeted mailings from them until a new store opened near us.

This coupon booklet contains the best-designed, mass-distributed coupons I've seen in a long time (love how the graphics completely tie in with signage at the store!):

And this simple, double-sided mailer had a fun, interactive coupon that you had to physically pull off. Admittedly, I did expect a bigger surprise to be revealed than the somewhat boring tagline – opportunity missed, if you ask me!

Qwest has been bombarding my mail box with junk for years but this one actually caught my attention. No return address, no logo on the outside – a mystery mailer! The headline was catchy – of course, I had to rip right in and find out what's "the next best thing" and how I can make it mine:

Not until the very end do you find out who sent you this mysterious piece – that's right, the friendly folks at Qwest!

Another company that makes regular deposits into my mailbox is Office Max. I've signed up for their membership card so I constantly receive coupons. I must say, though, that this one finally enticed me to open up the mailer: it was so pretty!

And look, this one actually does have a surprise: pop-up coupons! Love it, great job!

Lastly, while this one doesn't fall into the category of direct mail, I am excited to see what goodies will arrive in the future. During my last visit at Anthropologie (the epitome of visual merchandising!), I was asked during checkout if I was an Anthro member. No, I'm not – but I'd like to be! So now I am an official Anthro member, complete with membership card that came in its very own, very "anthro" cloth string bag along with a fun little booklet.

Alright, Corporate America: I don't by any means condone wasteful, useless junk mail but if you make it interesting, interactive and intriguing like these examples, I say keep 'em coming!

goodwill hunting

2009-11-03T06:04:00.000-08:00

My friend Amy and I love to go treasure hunting at our local Goodwill Industries stores. Sometimes we can hardly believe our luck with what we find – and last week was no exception!

I think I'm most excited about an old book I discovered called A Dog from Flanders. Love the illustrations, especially given the Dutch blood running through my veins (and yes, I do know that Flanders is in Belgium, not the Netherlands). I'll use these in various assemblage pieces – after I've had a chance to actually read the book!

No idea what I'll use this wooden spool and old basket ball pump for but they both spoke to me - the patina is gorgeous on the spool, and I love the boy's name scratched into the pump ("hands off, this one's mine!")

This old leather handkerchief and collar case is actually the first thing that I came across at the store. Even though the inside is in pretty good shape, I'll probably deconstruct it and use the fabulously aged leather exterior.

The color of this candy tin is just the perfect shade of retro green-blue, and the flowers on top make it extra special. Great studio storage for some of my little knick-knacks and doo-hickies.

These rolls of piano paper are intriguing... maybe they'll be turned into giant pompoms, or possibly layered wall decorations, who knows. Especially love the first part of the roll – the graphics are beautiful.

This silver platter is destined to be come the background for some layered assemblage piece, possibly with a little Frozen Charlotte doll in the center and some chandelier crystals hanging off the four little squares...

And lastly, this little sugar bowl would look great inside a decoupaged wooden box with some papers streaming out of it (somehow it reminds me of a trophy cup... maybe I'll search for a state fair ribbon and turn it into a horse-themed display, using some of my horse-related ephemera with a little statue)

I love successful Goodwill hunts, especially when done in the company of a good friend who, like me, can see the beauty in the old and discarded.

filter fun

2009-11-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've been using a lot of filters lately while creating illustrations for my day planner so I thought it'd be fun to create a couple before-and-afters of photographs. I shot these cows as we were passing through Cloverdale last Friday and I dressed them up a little using these fun filters from Mister Retro and a polaroid frame purchased from iStockPhoto.

tucker's tv debut

2009-10-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I told you about the great work that the Oregon Humane Society does for abused and neglected animals in Oregon and beyond. Well, here's a clip of one of my personal favorite stories – you guessed it: it's our little boy Tucker, live, right there on TV during their annual telethon.

Isn't he a cutie?! Yes, I'm a little biased but you've got to admit, he's adjusted wonderfully to his new, normal, food- and love-filled home! Thank you, OHS, and thanks also to Brian the Volunteer/Tivo Guru who provided me this clip!

cheap-but-good book arts

2009-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I stopped by the "Cheap-But-Good" Book Arts Sale at the Oregon College of Arts and Crafts to be inspired and to hopefully pick up a few items. It was fun to see the studio and all the artists' work laid out. And yes, I did find a few things:

Gorgeous print of an owl on a moonlight sky – love the use of white ink on black paper to really capture the dark of night. This will be perfect in our bedroom! (Sorry, I can't read the signature very well, it looks like it might say Denise Jacobs?)

Love, love, love these two cards by Textura Printing. The detail is amazing and the imagery so classy. Colors are very tasteful, too, although sadly my photography doesn't do it justice.

This card is so "Oregon" that I bought two! By Tiger Food Press.

And although I have stacks of my own Cecily Ink wrapping paper, this sheet of silvery grey daffodils by Debra Glanz was too pretty to pass up.

happy halloween

2009-10-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's almost time for the ghosts and goblins to crawl out of their hiding places! To celebrate, I thought I'd share a little sneak peek of another illustration for my Defteling Design client holiday gift, a weekly day planner with illustrations separating each month:

I'm quite pleased with how these illustrations are turning out. And although I've decided against releasing a limited edition set of CD calendars this year, not to fret: it's definitely on my agenda for next year so watch for its release around August 2010. And to ease your pain of having to wait so long, keep an eye out for a give-away of the day planner come early December!

Right now, there are lots of other crows and ravens flyin' about in Etsy land. I thought I'd share some of the ones that caught my eye:

ABOVE: Poe's Raven by Middleburg

ABOVE: Chirping Blackbird by Blue Dog Rose

ABOVE: Feather Print 1 by Little Paper Bird

ABOVE: Wing Note Card by Ingrid Art Studio

ABOVE: Lumberjack and Crow by Native Vermont

ABOVE: Raven on a Tree Branch by Myriad Art

ABOVE: Upcycled Suitcase by Get Ready Set GO

ABOVE: Three Crows by Oaky

ABOVE: Flock of Crows Wall Decals by Wilson Graphics

expo loot

2009-10-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Another Portland Antique Expo has come and gone this past weekend and I'm left with happy memories and a fabulous loot:

My favorite finds are definitely this old rubber squeaky toy of a big bull and this much-loved lion:

And I totally scored at an ephemera booth that had a couple of shoe boxes filled with cheap photographs. Most of these beauties cost me only a quarter each:

At another booth I found stacks and stacks of glass transparency slides. Not sure yet how I'll incorporate these into my trash-to-treasure art assemblages, but I'm sure I'll figure out something (if anyone has any ideas, please let me know!):

The same booth also had these old cardboard film canisters – love the graphics. And the old glove mold is now the third in my collection of necklace holders in the bathroom:

Last but not least, I couldn't pass up this wonderful snowman:

And yes, there was one thing that got away: a gorgeous vintage dressmaker's mannequin! It was in great condition and had a metal cage and cast iron stand on rollers. Just couldn't justify the price tag for something I don't really need (although I've been told $295 wasn't really that bad a price – darn it!)

before & after

2009-10-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

Well, even though we're not quite done (really, we're only a half-day's worth of work away, my contractor assures me!), I've decided it's time to share pictures of how our summer-long home improvement project turned out.

You may recall how our shower leaking turned into a full bath remodel (click here) back in May. Well, what started out as our house needing a paint job turned into a full exterior make-over: new roof, new siding, new window trim, new paint.

The difference is quite dramatic, and I'm just thrilled with our "new" 1939 English Tudor:
BEFORE:
AFTER:Yes, I know, it's a bit bare – we'll tackle the landscaping next spring! And in the meantime, we did add a porch light, house numbers and mail box (all black, of course!)

Other changes that are less visible from the outside are the airy skylights that were added to the upstairs bathroom and bedroom:

We also opened up the upstairs hallway by having a full wall cut down to a half wall:
(and yes, that's the staircase where I'd like to hang the perfectly proportioned modern mobile)

I then got a super strong itch to tear out the gross carpeting and see what's hiding underneath: the original fir floors, yeah! Sadly, they're quite damaged by former owners' remodel projects so bringing these floors back to their original glory will be part of our "phase 2" (timeline yet TBD).

Last, but certainly not least, are the new French doors that replaced a single door leading out into your backyard. Last April I pulled our dining room table into our den for Todd's surprise birthday party; the new arrangement was perfect so we added a set of three Ikea pendants:

Oh, and yes: I painted our fireplace green – just got tired of the bright red:

Now I'm ready to take a break till spring and enjoy my newly feathered nest!

modern mobile roundup

2009-10-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

I've been on the hunt for the perfect mobile to hang above our staircase and was hoping to find something locally. However, after seeing some of these gorgeous examples, I may have to order one online instead!

My favorite (I think!) is this one I found on Bookhou:

Then there's this modern red version that might look really good: (click here for info)

I always envisioned birds somehow, like these from Criswell Creations:

But in the end, I think something less literal and more abstract would probably be best, like this one from PukaPuka in Sydney, Australia :

I love the all-white butterflies clustered together on this one from Royal Buffet – sadly, it's too vertical for our purposes:

And although this is wayyy too cute for our staircase, I just had to include it in my round-up: darling deer silhouettes from Salty and Sweet.

etsy fave

2009-10-19T13:48:00.001-07:00

Just came across these fun letterpress cards – perfect for a type geek like me:

Find more in their Etsy shop here (via Poppytalk).

illustrator – cristian turdera

2009-10-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

The Oregon Humane Society Telethon yesterday was a huge success: over $261,000 raised, yeah! A big thank you to everyone who called in and donated! OHS has been one of my favorite non-profits for quite a while and it's great to see so much support for the great work they do!

Every quarter as I design the next issue of their magazine, I always am so touched reading the stories and seeing the photos. This past issue had a nice bonus: a new ad campaign was launched! If you live in the Portland area, you've probably seen the billboards all around town, you may even have seen banner ads pop up as you browse the web.

And I must say, Leopold Ketel did a fantastic job, as usual! Austin Hilde at LK was the art director and Cristian Turdera the illustrator. Turdera lives and works in Buenos Aires, Argentina and has an extensive portfolio of work. Here are just a few samples that caught my eye as I browsed his website:

If you click here, you can see the new TV ad, also illustrated by Turdera. Can't wait to see what's next!

Oregon Humane Society Telethon

2009-10-15T11:21:00.001-07:00

After already having been featured in two local papers, our celebrity doggie Tucker will now be on TV, too: tune in this Sunday from 1 to 5 and watch the Oregon Humane Society Telethon on KATU Channel 2.

Tucker (formerly Cooper) was part of a massive rescue effort by the Oregon Humane Society back in March, when they brought back 126 neglected dogs from Burns, Oregon.

I'm happy to report that since March, OHS has successfully found new homes for almost all the dogs, and Tucker has adjusted wonderfully to his new home. He's changed quite a bit, grown from a little 17-pound puppy to a hefty 42-pound boy – his hair has even grown back!

Just take a look at the fluffy, little fur ball he was back in March:

And how he's maturing into a handsome boy:

A BIG thank you to OHS!!! They do an amazing job, as shown by the fact that OHS has one of the nation's highest adoption rates (99% for dogs and 98% for cats!) And in case you'd like to find a furry soulmate of your own, just take a look at these adorable faces ready to come home with you:

Visit the OHS website for info on these and many other adoptable pets. Or if your home is already filled with four-legged friends, you can donate your time or money here! And don't forget to tune in for Tucker's TV debut this Sunday on KATU Channel 2 from 1:00 to 5:00 (Tucker and I should appear on camera around 4:45).

stylist atlanta bartlett

2009-10-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

We've been doing some work on our house and now that it's almost complete, I've been trying to take some photos to share with you. Boy, is it ever hard to snap some decent interior shots!

That's only one of the reasons I'm so impressed with stylist Atlanta Bartlett, whose gorgeous imagery makes it look so easy! Together with photographer Polly Wreford, Bartlett created these dreamy vignettes:

She also has several books that I can't wait to curl up with! So inspiring...

vintage holiday

2009-10-14T13:34:00.001-07:00

My dear friend Amy has just launched a new blog that I thought I'd share here. It's called Vintage Holiday – right up my alley!

Amy is a creative genius who's always coming up with clever DIY ideas so I can't wait to read her future posts! Just look at these cute candles she's whipped up: (available at Amy's Etsy shop)

Best of all, these four specific candles could be yours FREE! Yep, Amy's kicking off her blog with a giveaway so go check it out!

2010 calendar roundup

2009-10-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

I should be working but instead I find myself staring at my brand new 2010 calendar from SusyJack* that I picked up last week at Ecru.

For the last two years, I've designed my own desk calendar for Cecily Ink but since I've closed it down, I was able to shop around for a new favorite calendar. The choice was tough – just take a look at this small sampling of favorites:

INK + WIT:
I love the whimsical illustration and sparing use of color. Also a vertical format, which I seem to be drawn to this year. The calendar should be making its debut in their shop today – click here to find out more.

MERRY BLUES ART:
I love the upcycled use of an old wooden clothes hanger, not to mention the awesome illustration style! So loose and expressive... You can find out more here.

MISSING Q PRESS:
I sure do love letterpress... and this calendar from Missing Q Press is right up my alley, with gorgeous colors, exquisite letterpress and fun illustrations. Check out the shop here.

SEESAW LETTERPRESS:
Another wonderful letterpress option, this one much larger and a gorgeous option for a wall calendar. Love the modern color palette mixed with retro design flair. Check it out here.

VAN HOOSE DESIGN:
This one I could stare at all day for color inspiration: a huge, poster-sized calendar with fun color dots for each day of the year. Reminds me of color charts at digital print shops. Melissa has several designs to choose from and you can see them all here.

SUSYJACK*:
Last but not least, here is the online shop for SusyJack*. She also has a great desktop version of this calendar. Can't wait to start using mine!

chestnut craft project

2009-10-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

I'm always picking up nature's treasures on my walks with the boys (i.e. hubby and dogs), and right now I've got my eye on chestnuts. They're everywhere!

They remind me of taking walks in the Netherlands with my grandfather, who would encourage us to pick up as many chestnuts (kastanjes) as we could fit in our pockets. When we got back home, he'd bring out a box of matches and we'd spend hours creating little critters and people by pushing the match sticks into the chestnuts and assembling bodies, heads, hands, and feet.

When I asked Todd whether he made chestnut critters, he had no idea what the heck I was talking about. Apparently, this is not an American (or even English?) tradition since I didn't find much when Googling it. Once I put in the Dutch keywords, there were pages upon pages of references and instructions.

Here are some photos I came across that give you the idea:

As you can see, these days matches have been replaced by tooth picks. For the source of the photos above and more like it, click here.

Another favorite was to create a spider web: push long skewers all around the diameter of the chestnut, then use wool to weave around the sticks (alternating going above and below the sticks). Fun projects for the kids!

the big book of green design is here!

2009-10-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received my Big Book of Green Design and I couldn't wait to thumb through it.

Naturally, first stop was to see my own work that was included (last year's client gift, a set of three notebooks printed on FSC-certified paper by Brown Printing, an FSC-certified printer):

After going through the book cover to cover, I was truly inspired to see so much great – and green! – design out there. Here are a few of the projects that caught my eye:

What an unusual shape for a calendar – love it! Plus it's a great self-promotion piece, and eco-friendly to boot (by D4 Creative Group out of Philadelphia, PA)

Always a sucker for good packaging, these tea towels and wooden trays totally caught my eye. Clean design, clever packaging, and screen-printing on kraft paper is always gorgeous! (by Aloof Design, East Sussex, UK for Twentytwentyone)

We all know sex sells, and I thought this was a clever play on words. (by University of Illinois and Renourish, Champaign, IL for AIGA)

Paper art at its best! This 3D paper cutout illustration style is amazing! (by Sally Vitsky, Richmond, VA for the American Forest & Paper Association)

Talk about upcycling! This amazing chandelier is made out of 50,000 paper clips! (by JAM, London, UK for Sothebys).

2010 calendar sneak peek

2009-10-06T06:05:00.000-07:00

Every year, I create a special holiday gift for my Defteling Design clients. It's my way of thanking them for their business and giving something back that hopefully will make them smile in appreciation.

You may remember last year's gift (it's actually been selected to appear in the upcoming release of The Big Book of Green Design, yippie!):

I usually start thinking up ideas in June and this year has been no exception. For months now I've been noodling ideas and I'm so excited with how it's taking shape! Here's a sneak peek of some illustrations I've been working on:

For all you calendar fans, check back in the next few weeks – I haven't decided yet, but I might create a limited-edition CD calendar using these illustrations. If so, you'll be able to purchase them via my Cecily Ink Etsy shop.

beach bliss

2009-10-02T09:11:00.000-07:00

We had the most wonderful getaway to Gearhart this past weekend... perfect weather, great company, and amazing accommodations!

Todd and I along with two of our fur-boys piled into our dog mobile and met up with his parents at the Fitzgerald's Cottages. My in-laws checked in before we did and took these photos:

The two adjoining units are located in the back of the Fitzgerald's Home & Garden shop (where we found some must-have treasures to take home). The grounds look amazing, thanks in part to Dennis' 7 Dees Garden Center who has set up shop right outside the store.

My in-laws stayed in the king studio, which was quite spacious yet still had that cozy Hamptons beach vibe:

Their room adjoined the main cottage at the end of the hallway:

The living area had two couches that begged for lounging, along with a cozy Franklin stove and big TV with DVD player:

The kitchen looked very cute and had all the amenities, including a full-size fridge. The bathroom was bright and airy with the tallest shower ever and a pebbled shower floor that felt like a mini foot massage. Heaven!

Our bedroom was very pretty and the bed super comfy. However, my favorite little nook was the bunk bed area: I could just imagine little kids sharing night-time stories and ending up in a big pillow fight!

Even though it was the last weekend in September, we had absolutely glorious weather and thoroughly enjoyed the beach:

Thanks, Momma J. and Papa G., for sharing this wonderful weekend with us. And thanks also to the Fitzgerald's Cottages/Distinctive Beach Lodgings team for creating such a dreamy getaway. We can't wait to come back!

my new art studio

2009-09-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited: I finally have my art studio back!

Because of the various house projects this summer, I had to move my Attic Antics studio from a tiny room at the top of the stairs to my original graphic design studio next to our bedroom.

It feels great to be back in my old work space! It looks quite different now with the rough, paint-splattered fir floors and all my vintage treasures. Moving gave me a chance to get organized and now I can't wait to get to work creating some new trash-to-treasure mixed media pieces.

The shelves along the left side of the room are organized by grouping like items together. This way, I see at a glance what I might want to use for any given piece.

I also have a table filled with smaller items right next to my desk. I love being able to just grab little accents and play with the composition this way.

Now I just need to find the time to go play in my new studio!

art in the pearl – heather hargesheimer

2009-09-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed meeting Heather Hargesheimer at Art in the Pearl. She's an architect by trade and has recently started working with encaustic. I love her use of repetitive patterns and almost mono-chromatic color palette.

One of her pieces completely stopped me in my tracks – red overlapping circles on a creamy background. When I came back the next day to take a second look and possibly buy it, I discovered that someone else had already snatched it up, darn it!

Here are examples of some of her other pieces, all from her website:

Since Heather is local to Portland, I know our paths will cross again – next time I'll be sure to go with my gut and not hesitate to buy one of her pieces!

art in the pearl – two tone studios

2009-09-17T06:05:00.000-07:00

I'm normally not a huge fan of blown glass work so I was surprised that I actually really liked the work of several glass artists at Art in the Pearl. I was especially impressed by Two Tone Studios, a collaboration between Boyd Sugiki and Lisa Zerkowitz from Seattle, WA.

Their work is intricate without being fussy, simple and modern while still highly functional.

All these images are from Two Tone Studio's website – click here to view more and read more about them.

art in the pearl – jacqueline hurlbert

2009-09-16T05:35:00.000-07:00

As a long-time exhibitor at Art in the Pearl, Lake Oswego artist Jacqueline Hurlbert's booth was always jam-packed when we passed by.

Her modern pods are always huge crowd pleasers. I'd love to hang a series of 5 or 7 different sized pods in a staggered, random arrangement.

She had some larger pieces as well, similar to these I found on Jacqeline's website:

Although not represented on her website, our favorite at the show was her series of women's torsos. Most were frontal nudes, although she's started doing some gorgeous and sensuous back views as well. We picked up a blue torso that has found a perfect spot in our newly remodeled bathroom - every morning when I look up at it, I'm inspired!

All these images are from Jacqueline Hurlbert's website – click here to view more and read her bio.

art in the pearl – cheryl gail toh

2009-09-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad we braved the rain and muddy grounds during Labor Day to visit Art in the Pearl, my favorite Portland art show. We had high hopes of seeing some inspiring art and were not disappointed!

One of my faves was Cheryl Gail Toh, an artist from Kansas City, MO, who works primarily with encoustic.

I love her color choices and patterns! It's a little hard to see on these images, but in real life you really notice the dreamy quality and depth that the many layers of wax create.

All these images are from Cheryl Gail Toh's website – click here to view more and read her bio.

visual inspiration

2009-09-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on a big project that involves illustration and lots of layering of textures (more on that later – you'll love it, I promise!) and I remembered this wonderful website I came across several months ago:

Harmonie Intérieure is a French shop that sells the most amazing vinyl decals plus gorgeously layered, textural posters.

Definitely adding this one to my wishlist:

Since I think ALL my clients are great, I MUST be a great designer, right?

Love the painterly aspects of this design, along with the rich colors:

Or this one:

You can find all their posters here and they will ship to the US! Plus while you're visiting their site, don't forget to check out their decals – a great way to dress up a drab wall or tired table top.

art in the pearl – jim brown

2009-08-27T05:33:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited for this year's Art in the Pearl, coming up in just a little over a week. It's my favorite art show in the area and I'm already scoping out the artists who'll be showing this year.

Jim Brown is among the over 100 artists who got accepted into this juried show and I can't wait to see what's new. We've purchased several of his pieces over the years, and I still enjoy them as much today as the day we bought them.

His flower series is what first caught our eye. Instead of one large piece, we brought home 5 smaller pieces similar to these and hung them as a grouping.

Then we added a larger piece of his "washers" series, similar to the ones shown here. For several years, it hung in my Defteling Design office until just a few weeks ago, when it moved upstairs. It's now the star of our newly remodeled bathroom (we even installed a special spotlight!)

I remember seeing his tree series last year and being mesmerized by them. Maybe we'll have to add one to our collection this year...

And here's a fun bonus: photos of Jim Brown's pieces hung inside actual living spaces:

All these images came from Jim Brown's website and I assume they're quite representative of what he'll bring next weekend. Getting excited!!!

ART IN THE PEARL
Saturday 9/5 through Monday 9/7 • www.artinthepearl.com
NW Park blocks in Portland, between W Burnside and NW Glisan at NW 8th Avenue

cool packaging

2009-08-25T06:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do whenever I travel is to visit grocery stores and just stroll down the isles to see what catches my eye. I'm such a sucker for good packaging - I'll buy something based on that alone! So I thought I'd share some of my finds from our trip to Vancouver, BC.

The first thing I picked up was this locally made, gorgeous, and delicious chocolate bar. Love the color, of course (orange being one of my faves!), but what struck me was the clean, sleek look of the graphics, as well as the way the chocolate was packaged inside: it sits in a little tray that slides out of the sleeve.

The tray reads "Sleek, slender, easy to hide from your friends" and the chocolate itself has an irregular, angular pattern that is repeated on the front of the package. You can find some here.

Next was a bottle of olive oil from New Zealand that made me smile: what a clever way of playing with the letters! Plus I love green and black – it totally matches my colors of Defteling Design. You can find it here.

And how cool is this bottle of lemon juice from South Africa? I actually like the old-fashioned plastic lemon-shaped bottle, but this updated version is so stylish and modern, I have to replace my old one!

I also spotted lime juice and a caramel and chocolate sauce in similar packaging – yumm to both the packaging and the contents! Find more here.

The artist in me just had to have this strawberry jam:

The box is what caught my attention but when I opened it up and saw that the jam came in a tube with awesome graphics, I was completely sold!

And last but not least, when I spotted these Pantone mugs in a very cool design store, I had to have it. It's not quite "my" PMS color (that's 612, in case you're wondering) but it was close enough – I'm already using it as a pencil cup, given that I don't drink coffee.

And of course, I couldn't leave without a few matching mechanical pencils:

I got these at a fabulous store called Vancouver Special but you can also find them here.

2010 Olympics

2009-08-24T06:20:00.000-07:00

While we were on vacation in Vancouver, BC last week, we couldn't help but notice some of the changes that have taken place in preparation of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The place where this was most noticeable was Whistler.

Todd and I had never been and decided to make the 1.5-hour drive through the gorgeous mountains to check it out. Well, the town itself was a bit disappointing in that it felt too much like a planned community. As we were walking through the pedestrian-only shopping streets, I couldn't help but be reminded of Las Vegas – it all felt a bit fake, despite the gorgeous sunshine and green mountains.

One thing I did love, however, was seeing all the awesome graphics that were created to promote the Olympics.

I love the official logo and all the support materials, right down to the Japanese anime-inspired mascots.

Also love the fresh, crisp color palette of greens and blues mixed with the richly textured illustration style. What a fun project that must have been to work on!

tent sale tomorrow!

2009-08-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

I'm busily getting ready for my big Cecily Ink Tent Sale tomorrow – don't forget to carve out a little time to swing by if you live in Portland! I promise you won't regret it: huge savings, everything priced to sell with single cards and gift wrap just $1.00!

Just keep your eyes out for these handmade signs using some of my gift wrap:

And no, Dennis Quaid won't be in attendance, but his photo where he's showing off one of my Fresh Style Card Files will! (see more Cecily Ink celeb photos under the Cecily Ink at Sundance Film Festival category on the right).

Hope to see you Saturday!

TENT SALE: Saturday August 22 • 10am to 2pm
1848 NE 58th Avenue • corner of NE Hancock and NE 58th (between Sandy and Halsey)

vacation pix

2009-08-20T17:57:00.001-07:00

We just returned from a few days of R&R in beautiful Vancouver, BC, and while we're happy to be back home, we do miss that glorious feeling of freedom!

My favorite place to visit is always Granville Island: food and art all in one place! I had every intention of visually documenting our tour among the various food vendors and art galleries but as it turns out, I only snapped a few shots:

I love breads and seeing all these crusty, flakey balls of goodness at Terra Breads definitely made my mouth water! The pizza bianca was so delicious!

And as we passed this pie in the window of a side hallway, I was stunned by its size: this is an 8-inch pan and the pie is at least 6 inches tall!

We shared a plate of cheese and potato pierogies – yumm!

As we ate our snacks outside by the water, we made a new friend of the feathery kind:

And this is what awaited us back at the Pacific Pallisades hotel: a row of six fluffy pillows to rest our weary heads. Sweet dreams!

save the date

2009-08-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars: I'm having a HUGE blowout tent sale next week Saturday, August 22. I still have Cecily Ink inventory left and need the space.

Swing by and stock up on greeting cards (including letterpress!) for just $1.00 and gift wrap just $1.oo a sheet. I even have some Fresh Style Card Files left – just $10.00 a set! Also invitations, place cards, coasters and wine glass rings – perfect for your next party!

Hope to see you there!

living an artful life

2009-08-10T15:37:00.001-07:00

Saturday we stumbled across the Letterpress Printer's Fair and picked up two wonderful broadsides by Sandy Tillcock with Lone Goose Press:

As soon as I saw this illustration, I knew I had to have it – it looks just like one of our dogs, Pogo.

Todd fell in love with this poem and I loved the scale of the piece.

When we came home from the Letterpress Printer's Fair, I found this porcelain wall pillow by Stepanka waiting on our door step (check out her Etsy shop here) :

It's tiny but full of character and I plan to hang it in our new upstairs bathroom as soon as the sky lights are installed (any day now!)

We finished off our art-inspired day by having a simple dinner of crusty bread, mild blue cheese and a yummy olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. I felt like I was definitely living an artful life as I reached for another piece of baguette that was nestled in one of these wonderful bowls by Alex Marshall (find them at Ink & Peat):

And the art keeps on coming: today I received our prints from another fabulous Etsy seller, Fabienne Labokoff! Todd and I looked at every single one of her prints in her shop before settling on these four:

Can't wait to frame these and find the perfect spot for them – I'm thinking maybe above our bed to mirror the three square skylights that we'll soon be enjoying!

artistically inspired

2009-08-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Last week I had dinner at a friend's whose house I had not been to before. Since she's super creative, I figured I'd like her place, but oh boy, I was definitely not prepared for how incredibly inspired I would be by her home!

Her house had a clean, mid-century vibe overlaid with lots and lots of amazing art, much of which she created herself. Everywhere I turned, I was exposed to new and interesting pieces, ranging from prints, etchings, photography, lithographs, paintings, you name it. I loved how she grouped them, too, sometimes unifying different pieces by using the same color frames, other times just letting their difference in size, shape and color create a visual tension that was very pleasing to the eye.

After dreaming about the art-filled vignettes I had encountered that night, I was determined to expand my own art collection. A little hard to do at the moment: because we're having our siding replaced, we've had to pull everything from the walls, just in case the hammering and banging would knock stuff down.

Nevertheless, I was so inspired that I dragged Todd over to NE Alberta this weekend for a little gallery hopping. It was fun to shop around and see how much creativity Portland has to offer.

I came home with two additions to my collection: my favorite is an etching by local artist Misha Capecchi. I picked it up at Ampersand and later that night came across her work on Etsy.

While at Ampersand, I also found this fun vintage print of a boy in a boat:

I love how the photo damage actually adds a bit of mystery. Although it came matted and ready to frame, I think I'll save it for an art project and alter the matte with some pen and ink sketches.

Ampersand has a fun exhibit right now of old photo booth pictures. Definitely worth checking out:

I also did a little shopping on Etsy and will share those treasures as they hit my mail box!

attic treasures

2009-07-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

We're having some exterior work done on our 1939 English Tudor-style house, and it's been a very exciting process. Todd and I walk around our little property every night to check out what's changed and try to imagine what it will look like when finished.

I plan to post before-and-after pix once it's all done but in the meantime, I just had to show you this:

Aren't they darling? Our contractor found them tucked away in an unaccessible part of the attic. He said he normally throws stuff like that out, but since he knew I liked antiques (I had told him about going to the Expo a few weeks ago), he saved them for me.

I love to imagine their history and will definitely find a way to incorporate them into some of my assemblage pieces!

rae dunn ceramics

2009-07-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

I've long admired ceramics artist Rae Dunn. I own several of her smaller pieces and have them sprinkled throughout the house – seeing her little inspirational eggs always makes me feel happy inside!

I hadn't seen many of her tableware pieces before until I visited her website:

And while some of her lines are more mass-produced and sold on a national level, anything you order from her Etsy shop is still made completely by hand by Rae herself!

Great gift idea if you're looking for a personalized or inspirational gift (how cool would the napkin rings be as place cards at a wedding, or a little nest as a favor...)

Love the inscription on this plate:

"Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love."

stylist jaimi holker

2009-07-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

I love it when an image evokes a certain mood, especially when the subject is something pretty mundane. That's why I love the images that Jaimi Holker has on her website. She's a prop stylist based in San Francisco and has worked for companies whose style and photography I've admired for years, including Smith & Hawken, West Elm, and Red Envelope to name a few. These images were some of my favorites and they all exude a sense of peace and simplicity:

broder café

2009-07-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

Several months ago my friend Amy and I embarked upon a marathon treasure hunt that included hitting every thrift shop in NE and SE Portland. We stopped at Broder Café to refuel and I've been lusting for more of their fabulously simple Swedish cuisine.

When I finally was able to go back, I was not disappointed: I ordered a melted-to-perfection grilled cheese made with Swedish Farmers cheese and fresh tomatoes on the most delicious whole wheat and rye bread. It was served with their "breakfast salad," which included peas, bacon and gorgonzola cheese.

Todd ordered the Farmers sandwich, which was basically a warm ham and cheese sandwich served on a sweet sesame brioche bun. At our server's suggestion, he added a fried egg on top – oh, such goodness!

Next time my parents are in town, we may have to brave the crowds and bring them to this little gem in SE Clinton – I'm sure Broder's food will take them back to the four years we lived in Denmark!

BRODER CAFÉ • 2508 SE Clinton St., Portland, OR. 97255 • 503.736.3333

illustrator – david hughes

2009-07-17T06:02:00.000-07:00

I recently came across British illustrator David Hughes' website and loved it! His gestural style is so expressive and modern while the subdued color choices and small numerical details remind me of old scientific illustrations.

His editorial work has appeared in magazines like Esquire, The New Yorker, GQ, and Outside Magazine. The design of his website itself is fun to look through, too, with lots of doodles, notebook pages, and other ephemera mixed in.

feelin' fresh

2009-07-16T09:30:00.001-07:00

It's amazing how a scent or smell can brighten my mood. That's why I'm a huge sucker for all those fancy soaps and lotions – especially when the packaging is just a gorgeous and yummy as the scent!

While I try to be frugal and save my pennies, it's hard for me not to splurge on fancy soaps that smell divine. It's one of my little luxuries.

So I was thrilled to find these affordable bars of house-brand soap at Whole Foods. Hours of sudsy, sensuous scents packaged in pretty patterned paper for $5 a bar. Here were my favorites that found their way home with me: vetiver cedar, pomelo, and (my favorite!) lemon verbena.

more sadness

2009-07-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

When Todd read in the paper that Smith & Hawken was closing shop and having a liquidation sale, we both assumed it was just the store up on NW 23rd. Imagine my shock and surprise when we went there and found out that it was the entire company that was shutting down!

Apparently, the announcement was made internally last Thursday morning, then made public that afternoon. I found this notice in my email box this morning:

While I generally found their merchandise to be quite pricey, I loved visiting their store for inspiration and wishful thinking. Plus it was a great place to find gifts for my gardener friends.

Thanks, S&H – I'll miss you.

expo loot

2009-07-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

I love antiquing and one of my favorite places to go is the Portland Antique Expo. This show happens three times a year with approx. 1,000 dealers all under one roof.

The July show is my favorite, though, because an additional 300+ vendors exhibit outside in the parking lot and that's where I find most of the good stuff!

My friend Amy and I went yesterday as Early Birds, when a lot of vendors were still setting up. Yes, you miss out on a few booths that haven't arrived yet but on the flip side, you get the best selection among the things that are already set up!

1300 dealers can be quite overwhelming so I usually try to stick to a budget and try to decide whether there's something specific I'm looking for so my eagle eyes can scan all the booths quickly. This year, I wanted to keep my eyes peeled for beer paraphernalia for Todd as well as storage solutions (my one and only new year's resolution for 2009 was to get more organized).

I came away with some great finds:
I found a great metal bin with a wooden handle (the one on the other side is missing) that I can use in my office. The round tin with cute side handles and a clean interior that will be perfect to store the cat food outside by the back door.

The cute little lunch tin is perfect to hold loose ends in my office, and I couldn't walk away from that awesome little "25" badge. I'm sure it'll find its way into some of my assemble art.

The old horse bells on a leather strap will be repurposed to help potty-train Tucker. Just that morning when I dropped Tucker off at doggie daycare, the folks at Wag the Dog told me to tie bells to all exterior doors. The idea is that he'll associate hearing the bells with opening doors and access to the outside; hopefully, he'll get the picture and start nuzzling or pawing the bells to announce his needs!

I even found a few things for Todd: an old bottle opener and a piece of a bill board advertising non-fattening Acme beer! With a title like that, I bet the beer wasn't much good, but I love the graphics and color palette.

tulip mania

2009-07-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Northern Europe with Dutch parents, grand parents, aunts and uncles, it's only natural that I have an affinity for flowers. However, despite having lived in the Netherlands for six years, I don't remember ever having been to the famous tulip fields or the auction in Aalsmeer.

Seeing these pictures makes me think next time I happen to be in the Netherlands in spring, I simply must make the time for a visit:

I love how the rows of color create a graphic pattern:

I would like to credit the photographer for these photos but they were sent to me in a forwarded chain of emails so I don't know where they originated...

sad for swee swee

2009-07-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

I'm sad to report that Swee Swee Paperie in West Seattle is closing it's brick-n-mortar doors. I've always admired Ann Conway's style, especially her fashion sense – just take a (last) look at some of her window displays:

TOP PHOTO: via bdstudio.com BOTTOM PHOTO: via Swee Swee Paperie

They're going to revamp and reopen their online store in September so at least we'll still have access to some of the great paper products Ann discovers.

SWEE SWEE PAPERIE • www.sweesweepaperie.com

illustrator – daren newman

2009-07-08T15:41:00.001-07:00

I recently came across some of Daren Newman's work and thought I'd share it. I love his illustration style and he's a whiz when it comes to typography!

birthday invitation

2009-07-07T06:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I helped Todd prepare for a Belgian beer tasting and I realized I never shared photos of the big surprise party I planned for his 40th birthday back in April.

I won't bore you with fuzzy photos of total strangers, but what I will share is some of the fun details I planned for this special occasion. After all, what kind of designer would I be if I didn't practice what I preach and create a fun invitation that set the tone of what was to come the night of the big party!

First up were the invitations: fun and colorful, yet tasteful and with a hint of beerishness. I used chartreuse envelopments that I picked up at PaperSource ages ago (the green is a perfect match for Defteling Design) and glued in the actual invite with double-stick tape (designed in Illustrator and printed right on my little desktop inkjet).

I also created a custom logo that I used everywhere, including on stickers (also from PaperSource) that I used to seal the invites. The logo was inspired by one of Todd's favorite Belgian beers (St. Bernardus) and included small details like his profession (librarian), age (40), birth year (1969), even the correct beer glass shape and the little halo (he's Saint Toddeus, after all).

I knew I wanted to have a Sachertorte from Market of Choice as his birthday cake, but unfortunately they didn't have a way to recreate the logo so I went online and ordered a couple printouts using edible ink on rice paper. The result was stunning!

And what's a beer tasting without the right accessories! You guessed it: the logo founds its way onto pint glasses and beer coasters, which doubled as party favors.

I had a ton of fun designing and planning this event and was so happy when it all went off without a hitch (well, besides Todd coming home through the back door instead of the front door, so none of us were prepared to yell "surprise" when he walked in!)

summery stationery

2009-07-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me how excited I get to see the final printed product of something I designed. It doesn't matter whether it's a personal or a Defteling Design project – I can hardly wait to tear open the box and see how it turned out.

Today I was utterly delighted to reveal the finished stationery for Distinctive Beach Lodgings. The logo colors and design elements are so summery, just looking at the stationery makes me long to be on the coast...

We went a little unconventional for the letterhead: a narrow third-size sheet that neatly tucks into a standard business envelope. The front has the logo and contact info while the back repeats the website and the main logo element, a silver dollar, which also creates the wallpaper background.

The double-sided business cards take advantage of the extra real estate by boldly displaying the logo and website, using a black background to really pop the colors and the design.

The front of the card ties in with the back of the letterhead by using the sand dollar subtly in the background while the blue bars and cream background nicely reference the logo.

And in case this summery palette tempts you to book a weekend getaway, do check out the website for a listing of all their wonderful properties. I've been to several cottages and absolutely love them!

bath time

2009-07-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

Ever notice how one small thing can start a whole chain of events? How it can just snowball? If you own a house, you know exactly what I mean!

We are now the proud owners of a completely new upstairs bathroom! And yes, we're absolutely in love with it, but did we plan this? No. Did we budget for this? No.

This all started because we had to have our pipes snaked out. The plumber finished the upstairs bath and as he headed downstairs, he noticed a drip of water hitting his head at the bottom of the stairs. Uh-oh: the shower stall was leaking down through the ceiling!

Now, I must admit that we've never liked that bathroom and always planned to completely remodel it once we had the funds to overhaul the second floor. That plan was hatched seven years ago and needless to say, nothing happened to turn that plan into reality.

So, it seemed only natural that if the plumbers were going to have to come and fix the shower, why not tear out the hideous vanity and put in a cute pedestal sink? While picking out said sink at Home Depot, we discovered they had a matching toilet! Sure, why not get that one, too.

Well, if we replace the sink and toilet, the shower will look hideous so you guessed it: a new shower was in order. And once a new shower is in place, simply painting the old tile floor is no longer such a good idea so let's splurge on tile!

Two months later: our gorgeous new bathroom! I never took "before" pictures because it was just so hideous but the couple in-progress shots give some sense of its past.

All the design decisions came together very quickly. The sink and toilet are Kohler from Home Depot, the faucet is also Kohler while the low white cabinet is from Ikea. The mirror is from Pottery Barn and the light fixture Rejuvenation (bought on sale seven years ago when we hadn't even closed on the house yet!).

The tiles were a splurge from Pratt & Larson and I love how at first glance they look like wood floors. But when you look closer (maybe not quite as visible in the photos), you'll notice a wonderful metallic sheen that makes them look ever so luxurious!

Then of course, there are all the fun finishing touches, like towels (Restoration Hardware) in wood storage bins (The Container Store), soaps (Ink & Peat and Sesame & Lilies), and potted plant (Ikea).

The painting is a piece we bought at Art in the Pearl a few years ago and which hung in my Defteling Design office until just last week.

And the candles on the back of the toilet are totally DIY! My dear friend Amy with Candywinkel makes soy candles, and when we saw these glasses at Ikea, we knew they'd be perfect containers for some custom candles! We cooked up a batch of wax in her studio and I love the way they turned out: the color is perfect and the scent delicious!

So while things snowballed and went way above and beyond what we originally thought, I couldn't be happier with the final result!

my non-vacation to Ghent

2009-06-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

Last January, I was so thrilled when we planned our big summer trip to Europe. I grew up in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands, and it's been four years since I've been back – we were way overdue for another visit to see my Oma!

While we would in part be crossing the Big Pond to attend a family reunion, we knew we wanted to spend some just-us time in Belgium – time to relax and roam the streets in search of good food, excellent beer, and amazing ambience (okay, and chocolate!)

Sadly, we've had to cancel our trip but I thought I'd share some of our intended stops here, just in case any of you find yourselves in Ghent with nothing to do.

We were going to stay at this amazing bed & breakfast called De Waterzooi. We are huge fans of Belgian B&Bs – for some reason, they all far surpass most American versions and they're often cheaper than hotels.

Check out "our" little apartment – complete with sitting room and indoor window peeking into the bedroom:

Love the painted brick wall – instant character, no need for artwork!

And the bathroom left me speechless...

One of the things I was really looking forward to was to scour antique and flea markets for European little trash and trinkets for my assemblage art. The Prondelmarkt in Ghent was on the top of my list:

Then there's the shopping... ah, the shopping... One of my favorite finds during our last trip was Dille & Kamille, a chain of kitchen/home stores that's a nice mix of modern-meets-vintage with a dash of organic and eco-friendly thrown in for good measure:

And finally, for some colorful fun kitsch, I was planning to visit Zsa Zsa:

So there you have it: my non-vacation to Ghent, Belgium! Maybe next year...

feelin' sea foam

2009-06-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

My baby sister is getting married next year so our whole family is buzzing with wedding plans. She recently picked her official wedding color (sea foam) in part because the whole event will be right at the beach. What better place than Etsy to find some inspiration:

Here's where you can find these lovelies:
1-4 – Irene Suchocki • irenesuchocki.etsy.com
5 – Creations By the Bay • creationsbythebay.etsy.com
6 – Oktak • oktak.etsy.com
7 – Madison Craft • madisoncraft.etsy.com
8 – PixiSette • pixisette.etsy.com
9 – Olio Designs • oliodesigns.etsy.com
10 – AAA R eal Gem • aaarealgem.etsy.com
11 – PixiSette • pixisette.etsy.com
12 – Tweedy Lane • tweedylane.etsy.com
13 – Bayan Hippo • bayanhippo.etsy.com
14 – AN Original Jewelry • anoriginaljewelry.etsy.com
15 – Abe and Elsie • abeandelsie.etsy.com
16 – Bake It Pretty • bakeitpretty.etsy.com
17 – Cake Box Cookies • cakeboxcookies.etsy.com
18 – Abbey and Izzie Designs • abbeyandizziedesigns.etsy.com
19 – Daisys and Dots • daisysanddots.etsy.com
20 – Cake Box Cookies • cakeboxcookies.etsy.com
21 – Amy Interiors • amyinteriors.etsy.com
22 – Humble Collection • humblecollection.etsy.com
23 – Pillow Happy • pillowhappy.etsy.com
24 – So Inviting • soinviting.etsy.com
25 – Maria Elena Events • mariaelenaevents.etsy.com
26 – Nomsa • nomsa.etsy.com
27 – Angel Heart Beads • angelheartbeads.etsy.com
28 – Spindle Tree • spindletree.etsy.com
29 – Melinda Milkshake • melindamilkshake.etsy.com
30 – Oktak • oktak.etsy.com
31 – Jazz Turtle • jazzturtle.etsy.com
32 – Knit Knit • knitknit.etsy.com
33 – AN Original Jewelry • anoriginaljewelry.etsy.com
34 – Lux Bead • luxbead.etsy.com
35 – Madison Craft • madisoncraft.etsy.com
36 – Karin Grow • karingrow.etsy.com

camp cactus

2009-06-10T06:42:00.001-07:00

I'm excited to tell you about a fun artists sale happening this weekend in NE Portland: Camp Cactus is having their annual summer sale with 5% of all proceeds going directly to the Oregon Food Bank!

Artist Jane Russell will transform her darling studio into a bustling little shop stuffed to the brims with pottery, mosaics, assemblage pieces, home & garden art, and much more.

I'll have some Cecily Ink product for sale at blowout prices and I also decided to offer up several of my assemblage pieces (click here). Hope you can stop by!

CAMP CACTUS
NE 45th & NE Brazee • Fri 6-9 • Sat 10-6 • Sun 10-6

more farm chicks faves

2009-06-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

I'm still shopping at Farm Chicks in my dreams at night, sigh... I had such a wonderful time hunting for treasures, admiring the amazing displays and marveling at the ingenuity of all these talented Chicks! Here are a few more of my favorite vendors:

Second Childhood Girlfriends • 503.669.7746 and 503.665.6753
Like so many of the Farm Chicks vendors, their booth was filled to the brim with this and that – you just had to go in and check it out all.

The Rusty Bird • Virginia Shawver (208.623.2150)
If you like to feather your nest with bird-inspired décor, you'll love Virginia's work! She creates these little nests complete with feathers and eggs, so adorable! Plus she paints some wonderful watercolors of birds and their twiggy homes.

Anemone • www.handmadepaperflowers.com
I'm a paper nut so when I saw these floral creations made completely out of paper, I was thrilled! What a great keepsake idea for a bride. And I love the twigs with dogwood and magnolia flowers – a great way to have blooms that won't wilt after a week!

Seabold Vintage Market • www.seaboldvintagemarket.com
I loved the simplicity and elegance of Liz's display. Narrowing the color palette down to just a few colors tied everything together so nicely. I wish my whole house looked like her booth! All the gorgeous bedding and pillows are from Bainbridge Blues - you just want to dive right into bed.

Last but not least, here are my own personal treasures that I couldn't leave without. Lots of little bits of this and that, mostly letters, to use in my assemblage art:

Love the little cabinet. I found the perfect place for it in the dining room:

fave farm chick: candywinkel

2009-06-07T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I am no longer a Farm Chicks virgin! And yes, it was everything I hoped it would be – and then some!

Hubby Todd and I left at the crack of dawn Saturday morning to make the 5+ hour drive to Spokane, Washington. We arrived at 11:20 am and already saw hip 'n savvy Chicks leaving the building, their arms overflowing with vintage lovelies.

I got a bit worried – the show had only been open for a little over an hour and these ladies were already done? Did we drive all this way for just a measly hour of antiquing?!

Upon spotting my puzzled look, one of the Chicks explained: this was only Round One being brought out to the car! Phew, big relief.

Once inside...just one word describes how I felt: WOW!!! I was overwhelmed and didn't know where to look first – so much shabby goodness and so many trinkets and treasures!

First stop: to see my dear friend Amy Smith's booth at Candywinkel. And boy, was it a show stopper! She really outdid herself with the display: all white furniture and draperies allowed her yummy candy concoctions and sweet soy candles to shine.

Besides Candywinkel's vintage containers filled with nostalgic candies, Amy's creative juices were working overtime when she came up with this best-seller: chocolate-covered sunflower seeds packaged using French seed pack illustrations! How cute!!!

Another thing flying off the shelves were vintage containers filled with 100% pure soy wax candles. The soy washes right out after it's burned down so you're left with the gorgeous container – how's that for up-cycling!

One of her most brilliant ideas – in my humble opinion – was her creation of the doily lamps. They were definitely a show stopper and you can see why:

These fun lanterns added so much ambience and flair, I'm thinking I may have to borrow her lamps for my sister's wedding next summer! (pretty please, Amy?)

I have some more photos to share with you from Farm Chicks later this week, including all the treasures I walked out with. Needless to say, this show is definitely a do-againer for us!

nesting instincts

2009-06-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

Now that I have officially closed the doors on Cecily Ink, I find myself wanting to "fluff" everything... the house, the garden, my office. It's like my nesting instincts are working overtime trying to catch up on two years of neglecting my surroundings!

I'm taking time to enjoy the small pleasures, like these stunning peonies:

Our neighbor Aaron gave me this plant a few years ago and every year right when it was ready to bloom, we had a big rainstorm which flattened the stems and ruined the blossoms. Needless to say, this year the rain held off and the glorious sunshine showed off these peonies in their true glory:

I've also been roaming on Etsy, looking for this and that to spruce up the inside of our house. I "hearted" plenty of things to revisit later, but when I came across this print from My Wagonette simply had to have it – now!

It came in the mail today and it's even more beautiful than I had expected! I love the mustardy shade of yellow and can't wait to get it framed and find the perfect place to hang (yes, I bought a piece of art without having a clue as to where I could display it – didn't want it to be "the one that got away!")

I'm looking forward to our little road trip Saturday: I'll be driving for 5+ hours to shop till I drop at Farm Chicks! I'm so excited – can't wait to see what goodies I'll find.

If you're going, be sure to stop by the Candywinkel booth – Amy has been a busy little bee creating candy and candle goodness that are so sweet. I promise I'll take lots of pictures to share next week!

pet pix

2009-05-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not the kind of proud mama who carries pictures of her kids in her wallet and whips them out at every occasion (they're dogs, after all), but I do think my doggies are the prettiest and bestest boys in the whole wide world so I have no qualms about showing them off on my blog...

Here are a few beauty shots I took during last weekend's coastal getaway. Meet Cooper, our 12-year-old collie mix (the "first-born"):

It was incredibly windy when we were on the beach in Manzanita - it seemed like the dogs would achieve lift-off at any moment! Their fur was actually moving in waves, like when the wind blows through a field of wheat...

Then there's Pogo, our bouncy goof-ball seven-year-old lab mix:

Pogo is a bit insecure at times but as a middle child, he's by far the best-behaved of the bunch – he even tattles on little brother Tucker and lets me know when Tucker is being naughty (like when Tucker sneaks off into a corner and pees, something that is happening way too often!).

And finally, here's the newest member of the pack: Tucker, a golden retriever mix rescued from a farm in Burns, Oregon. We have no way of knowing his exact age, but our best guess is around 11 months. Tons of energy, lots of mischief, and a total cuddle bug!

Tucker is very mouthy and picks up all kinds of things on our walks. We discovered that if we put a stick in his mouth on our walks, he pulls a lot less (no more heavy breathing like he's about to choke himself on the collar). The only downside is he keeps plopping down about every block or so to really dig into his yummy stick...

Just one last quick reminder about the big 50% off closeout sale going on with my Cecily Ink shop (use coupon code "closeout" during checkout). This Sunday May 31st will be your last chance to order online!

coastal getaway

2009-05-25T14:46:00.001-07:00

Like millions of other folks, we hit the road this holiday weekend for a little coastal R&R. Finding a place to stay with three big dogs can be a bit tricky, especially if your tastes tend more towards the chic than shabby when it comes to cottage style. Lucky for us, we found the Shore Pine Cottage in Gearhart, managed by Distinctive Beach Lodgings.

Yes, the cottage was a bit on the small side but what it lacked in space, it more than made up for in style and comfort! Just take a look:

It's just a short walk to the ocean and there's a nice view of the golf green right out the front window. The front porch/deck was a great place to enjoy our sunset dinners – the cherry tree was just stunning with its mass of blooms!

The two bedrooms had very comfortable beds – and I loved the linens, so pretty!

It had a nice little kitchen complete with full-size fridge and stove – we thought about baking cookies but ran out of time! And it being a pet-friendly place, a basket filled with towels, sheets, treats and pooh bags was waiting for us in the corner.

I took some great shots of the dogs on the beach, too – look for those later this week. It was hard to leave this morning, so we'll just have to come back soon! (it had been a year since our last coastal stay – way too long!)

DISTINCTIVE BEACH LODGINGS
www.distinctivebeachlodgings.com • 800.352.8034

last chance

2009-05-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I've picked my official closing date: May 31. It's been an interesting few weeks as I've been busy shipping out orders and answering emails. I'm quite sad to close this chapter of my life, but hearing from all of you has been a huge help – thanks for being so supportive!

While I've been rather quiet on the blogging front lately, I will continue to share design ideas, great Etsy finds, and other noteworthy experiences.

I'm actually quite excited about Memorial Day weekend, when me and the boys (hubby Todd, collie mix Cooper, lab mix Pogo, and golden mix Tucker) get to spend three full days frolicking on the beach! I found a great pet-friendly cottage in Gearhart and will be taking lots of pictures to document our little getaway.

Then a few weeks later, I'll be heading to Spokane for my first Farm Chicks adventure. My friend Amy will have a booth there with Candywinkel and she's got lots of great new products that I can't wait to share with you all!

So, as the Cecily Ink door closes, the window to free weekends opens and I plan to make the most of it!

good news, bad news

2009-04-29T14:34:00.001-07:00

I have some good news and some bad news. I know, if you're like me, you'd want the bad news first. So here it is: it's time to say goodbye to the Cecily Ink website and product line as you know it!

I've had a very fun ride these past two years and look back with pride and joy at all that my little card line has accomplished. But now it's time to move on.

And the good news? You guessed it, major closeout savings: everything is 50% off with no minimum purchase required! Just use "closeout" as the coupon code during checkout.

Plus, if you live in the Portland area, please stop by the Studio & Sample Sale at P. Flynn Design where you'll find lots of my cards and paper products at huge discounts, some marked down to 75% off if you pick through samples and slightly damaged seconds.

And of course, you'll be able to shop from Peggy Flynn's gorgeous collection of aromatic silk sachets, eye pillows, and boudoir pillows, also all hugely discounted. Perfect time if you need a little something for Mother's Day (just around the corner!)

P.FLYNN DESIGN – STUDIO & SAMPLE SALE
Saturday May 2 • 11am to 4pm • 2654 N. Terry Street

trash to treasure – part 3

2009-04-14T15:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finished up my little "Finding Grace" shrine I mentioned a while back. I had planned to add copper wings (that finally have a nicely aged patina) but when I showed it to my mom, she fell in love with it as-is! So off it went in my mom's hand luggage on Sunday and I'm glad to know it found a loving home!

Speaking of finding a loving home, one of the reasons I haven't been posting much lately is that I've been quite busy taking care of our new family member: Tucker, a tiny golden retriever mix who was rescued by the Oregon Humane Society (my favorite non-profit!) from a man in Eastern Oregon who had over 200 neglected and malnourished dogs on his property.

Tucker is already quite famous and has appeared in two newspaper articles, once in The Oregonian (click here) and once in the Portland Tribune (click here). Upon his arrival in Portland, the kind folks at the Oregon Humane Society named him Cooper but since we already have a dog named Cooper (and one named Pogo), we settled on Tucker for this little guy.

Yes, he looks quite tuckered out in this picture, but trust me when I tell you that he has all the energy of a regular puppy and none of the manners – yet! I'm heading out in just a few minutes for his very first training class; fingers crossed, he'll be a quick study.

If you want more information about the Oregon Humane Society or are interested in adopting one of their 125 dogs rescued from Burns, just click here to find out more!

anniversary sale

2009-03-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been two years already since I first launched Cecily Ink! That's sure worthy of a celebration, don't you think?

Yes, you read it correctly: through the end of the month, I'm offering 50% off everything in stock! Just fill your basket with at least $50 worth of product, enter the coupon code "take50" during check-out, and voilà – watch as 50% of your total magically disappears!
(not valid with any other offers/coupons)

Just my little way of saying thank-you to all our Cecily Ink fans out there. Enjoy!

NOTE: Due to popular demand, I've extended the sale through Mother's Day!

more trash to treasure

2009-03-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday while I was scouring the Portland Antique Expo for inspiration, I fell in love with this little plastic elephant. Don't know why, but I simply had to have him – he just made my heart sing!

At another booth I picked up a small orphaned dresser drawer, complete with a mission-style drawer pull – a perfect shadow box for my new little baby elephant! That evening I was in the zone and by 2 am (yes, A.M.!) I finished this piece that literally makes me smile every time I look at it:

Since I last shared photos of my art, I've created a few other pieces as well. This one has elements dangling from fishing line and jingles like a chime when I walk around the house with it:

And this little darling was inspired by a piece my former co-worker Bev Soasey created years ago for a friend of hers:

I love old illustrations and photographs and use them as often as I can. These next two pieces also make great use of old photo album pages, another one of my faves – they create a beautiful frame for the image and allow plenty of "white space" even after adding a few embellishments.

Right now I'm working on a shrine of sorts. It's getting close to being done, just need to figure out a few last details and then add wings – intrigued yet? Yes, I promise I will show pictures when it's done. Stay tuned...

random bits

2009-03-04T14:38:00.001-08:00

As I was surfing the Net while watching TV these last few days, several things caught my eye and I thought I'd share them with you. Although they may seem a bit random, they all served as visual inspiration to me.

F L I C K R - F U N
Over the years I've built up a paper file filled with various images ripped from the many magazines and catalogs that hit my mail box. Whenever I need to come up with a fresh color palette and need a bit of help, I flip through those pages for inspiration. Now I can simply go here, click on one or a few colors, and voila – a visual library of images in those exact colors pops up. I love doing the single-color searches. The results are pretty enough to frame as art!

P O S T E R - F U N
I came across the Poster List where you can buy some very fun posters, all at very reasonable prices:

D E S I G N - P O L I C E
As a graphic designer, I've often been tempted to play logo cop or to issue a bad type ticket. Thankfully, I discovered the Design Police, whose mission is to "bring bad design to justice." Now we can all let our fellow citizens know when they've committed a design faux pas with these print-it-yourself stickers:

picture perfect?

2009-03-02T23:06:00.001-08:00

Raise your hand if you like your driver's license photo. How about your passport photo? Yeah, didn't think so. But it could be worse: you could be trying to renew your Dutch passport and have to subject yourself to the Dutch government's idea of an acceptable passport photo.

Case in point: I thought I'd pop into Kinko's to get my picture taken before my appointment with the Dutch Consulate next week. Hah, wish life were so easy! After intently studying a four-page (!) document describing the do's and don'ts of passport photography, it quickly became apparent that the blue-shirted fellow with the instamatic wasn't going to cut it. I needed to bring in some heavier guns if I was to avoid being in violation of Dutch passport code umpteen-thousand-and-six.

Think I'm joking? Well, let's play a little game, shall we? See if you can guess what's wrong with the 15 photos below. I've listed the answers under the photos so if you don't want to cheat, don't scroll down too far.

1 - black and white (okay, that one's easy)
2 - optical distortion (how would you know, maybe she's just got high cheek bones?!)
3 - unnatural representation (huh?! is it because he looks like a Smurf?)
4 - visible support (it's a baby, for cryin' out loud!)
5 - reflection (the lesson here: don't forget to powder your nose!)
6 - background not uniformly lit (words escape me...)
7 - more than one background color (sorry, no mall portraits, folks)
8 - merging background colors (see above)
9 - insufficient background contrast
10 - insufficient background contrast
11 - face not entirely visible
12 - eyes not entirely visible
13 - eyeglasses reflection (this was the downfall of Mr. Blueshirt)
14 - eyeglasses shadow
15 - not centered in frame (missed it by that much!)

I don't have a visual aid for it, but the one that gets me the most is this one: under no circumstances may you have your mouth open. What?! I can't show off my pearly whites and say cheeeeze? How un-American! Oh, wait, I'm renewing my Dutch passport...

To be fair, although "applicants may not smile broadly or open their mouths," they did add that this "does not mean that they have to look surly or sullen." After all, we Dutchies are a merry people, full of joy and zest!

Well, the kind and expert folks at Ritz Camera downtown Portland did an excellent job of following all the rules and regulations – I hope! Guess I'll find out in a few weeks...

I know you're all dying to see my final passport photo, so here it is: (don't laugh, it's worse than my driver's license picture!)

Hope they don't notice that sheen on the tip of my nose!

feel-good art sale

2009-03-02T22:24:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows I simply love to shop. There's nothing like the thrill of the hunt, finding that special something that you never knew you needed but, once found, you know you simply can't live without...

Okay, so that's pretty darn superficial, but what if you could shop AND help out kids at the same time?

It's happening this weekend and I can't wait to see what kind of treasures I'll snap up among 150+ artists all under one roof! Just think: 30% of everything I spend will go directly to help the school and its amazing arts program!

Yes, Cecily Ink will be there, proudly donating 30% of all sales. Plus, the first 20 shoppers who buy something from my table will get a free 2009 desk calendar! Shopping for a cause AND free stuff - does it get any better?!

BUCKMAN ART SHOW & SELL
Buckman Elementary • 320 SE 16th Ave • Portland • more details here

march wallpaper

2009-03-01T15:09:00.000-08:00

Here we are, another rainy, dreary day of typical Oregon weather... Good news is it's March 1, so that means a new desktop wallpaper from Cecily Ink is waiting for you here – and as always, it's totally free!