{ happy 2011 }

Happy 2011!

I hope this year is successful, exciting ...

... and glamorous.

{ stress reliever }

Lately I've been stressed to the max.

I'm up to my eyeballs in job applications and 

am wondering if I'm going to be able to get one of 

these 911 Dispatch positions I've been applying for!

I need to do something to relax.  

I keep going to Duck Duck Collective to see these portraits.
Everytime I see them it makes me want to do another
series of portraits to relax! Nothing like a high intensity
photo project to relax you! No, seriously. This stuff
makes me pie-in-the-sky happy. That being said ...


Who wants their picture taken?

* images via here

{ shameless plug }

OK. Here goes my shameless plug of ...

I Just Overheard.com

This website is the brainchild of a good friend

and his good friend. Lots of friendship connections.

Hence the shameless plug.

It's kind of a combination site of Overheard 

Everywhere and TextFromLastNight. 

But better. Way better. Don't even look at those 

other sites anymore. They're not as cool.

 

Friend #1 is a favorite design cohort of mine, 

check out his work here. He does web design

focusing on WordPress themes. He also is a 

complete database geek (sorry, but it's true) 

and has designed all kinds of CAD systems for

things ranging from a fire department dispatching 

CAD system to an event management company's CAD system.

Long and short of it? He's smart/way smarter than me.

So, I will end my plug here. 

But, go check out the site! Now!

[ how the grinch stole christmas ]

This week at work has officially sucked.

But, to embrace the Christmas spirit, we watched

How the Grinch Stole Christmas at work today. 

I do love this movie,
and it seems to make work a better place to be!


~


Merry Christmas!

{ rucksack love }

Ever since I went to NYC this summer, I've been

looking for a fashionable way to carry a lot of 

junk in a purse/bag without taking my hiking

L.L. Bean backpack (bright red) with me everywhere.

This very fashionable lady on the subway had

a leather backpack / rucksack that I loved.

It was Fendi, however, and probably cost

her more than my car is worth. 

But, I found something! This is so cute!

P.S. I love the little studs.  

OK.   I am going to have to start saving 

my pennies for this Roxy bag.  

{ moving day #17 }

Today, my friends, is moving day #17 for me

(and my parentals who kindly haul my junk everywhere).

Yes, it's true. In the past fours years, between multiple dorm rooms 

and summer jobs, I've managed to move 16 times within my college career. 

Now on to #17!

(Hopefully I can stay put for a while here).

No, this isn't where I'm moving to. 

But hey, a girl can dream right? 

Someday ...

{ famous }

I am now famous. Yes, don't panic,

I'm famous! (I know, what is this world coming to?)
My college's silly little magazine has me featured in this fall's issue.

There I am! Featured on the Alumni Relations page.
Remember the Art Walk I did a while back? This is it!
Don't judge me for being proud of this ... I don't get out much, OK?

{ ginger }

I got called a ginger yesterday.

Only problem is, I'm a brunette.

However ...

... Karen Elson makes me want to 
become a real ginger. 

{ so neat! }

My family is known for being neat.

We clean, tidy up, organize, and repair

our own stuff as well as others. 

  It's not like we have OCD or anything.

We just like things to be in their proper place.

I have been told by people I work with:

a) "You're so OCD. Want to come over?"

b) "You should probably consider starting

your own cleaning business someday..."

c) "Stop cleaning my desk!!"

So, when I saw this website on Black Eiffel,

I naturally had a heart attack and died.

Of pure happiness. 

"Thing Organized Neatly" is incredible!

{ design crush: cue }

I have a new design firm crush: 

Cue, Inc. in Minneapolis, MN.

This is a brand kit they did for Tuaca, an Italian liqueur.

I'm dying. Can I work there, please?? Love. 

~

* images via Cue, Inc.

[busy busy bee]

I'm a horrible blogger.

I get busy,  I do things, I look at my blog and say

"oh yeah" like I forgot it was there. Oops!

In my defense, I have done the following things 

within the last week-and-a-half:

1. Get an iPhone. I've gained a new appendage.

2. Start yet another logo job.

3. Begun working on Sister's Save the Dates.

(aka STDs hehe)

4. Begun working on Cousin's Save the Dates.

5. Moved for the 15th time in 4 years.

6. Cleaned, done laundry, installed a new shower head,

cooked a delicious dinner (Italian chicken with spinach

and 3 cheese tortellini in a stewed tomato, zuchinni,

squash, carrots, onion, garlic and vodka sauce).

7. Thoroughly enjoyed the Daylight Savings change.

Hooray for an extra hour of sleep!

*Photos by Jono Winnel

[ photography crush: duck duck collective ]

I have a complete and total photographer crush 

on the folks at Duck Duck Collective. LOVE.

They're latest post "Vanessa: Lifestyle Test" is awesome!

* images

[ friday randomness ]

Thank our Lord Almighty that it is Friday! 

It's not even noon yet, and I've already had several 

very random things occur today that make me wonder 

what-the-heck is going on around here?

1. This morning on my way to work I was accosted by chipmunks.

Two crazy-in-love chipmunks rolled across my feet on the way to work 

while they were sexing it up. It was very shocking, appalling, mind boggling

 ... you get the point.

2. Three different people have suggested that I look like Rachel McAdams

today. I would love that to be true. Perhaps it's my Parisan striped shirt, 

high top knot bun, and bright red lips and nails that made them think it?

3. I had a lengthy discussion in the bathroom about automatic 

toilets, soap dispenser, paper towel dispensers and sinks. 

And how pretty much every public bathroom should take a leaf

out of the new bus-station-esque rest stop in Kennebunk.


4. I introduced another person to the phrase 
"It's darker than the inside of a cow in here." Be still my soul!

I hope your Friday is just as entertaining and is wonderful!

xoxo

Solidarités International: Water talks from La Boite Concept on Vimeo.

SpyreStudios

I am a busy busy person. Therefore, I've been

ignoring my blog, tumblr, and several emails... sorry!

My most recent discovery is SpyreStudios ... and I am in love.

I was browsing the web this morning looking at sleek

iPhone app designs (inspiration for a new possible joint 

endeavor with a friend), and I stumbled upon this site. 

They've got tons of great designs to browse through, 

which I love. I am hugely visual and am constantly looking

for sleek, contemporary design inspiration! I am loving these 

logos from their 40 Sexy and Creative Typography Logos collection.

[ design crush ]

I was browsing A Life More Fabulous this morning

(as always) and was shocked to see Sarah Lavoine's 

fabulous color choices for her apartment ... why?

Because this is exactly the look I was trying to explain

to my madre y padre after picking up a color swatch

with these colors on it! I love greys! 

Even though it's cool toned, I think this setup still looks

so cozy and sharp! Mixing great textures with high

contrast elements is so wonderful!

[ etsy love: lireca ]

One of my favorite shops on Etsy is definitely Lireca.

I own at least four bags from this shop, and I 

still have my eye on a few more ... 

(all part of my sick obsession with bags)

Top images: Pleated Wristlet in Park Fountains Mustard
Bottom images: Pleated Mini Bag in Chocolate Leaves

[ website revamp ]

I haven't been posting much lately, mostly due

to the fact that I've been insanely busy revamping

my portfolio book and websites. My physical book,

website, and Etsy shop are all undergoing a little facelift.

 I'm switching over from a classic HTML site to a database driven
php WordPress site. I'm hoping that the transition will go smoothly,
and that the new slick look will really catch future employers 
(and customers) eye. With a little help from a good friend and 
some serious (yet constructive) criticisims from sister, I'm 
excited to see my end results!