The Craft Begins

The Tutu Project

admin — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 15:47:25 +0000

Bob Carey is a photographer who faced a problem that most of us can relate to: his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. He’s done this series of amazingly poignant and funny self-portraits in a pink tutu in order to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research – it’s called The Tutu Project.

These photographs are all so disarmingly sweet, and it’s impossible not to appreciate his total ability to let it all hang out – in a pink tutu nonetheless.

Head over to his site if you’re interested in donating money towards breast cancer research. You can receive one of his prints, as well as purchase a forthcoming book of more pink tutu photographs! Cannot wait to see the whole series.

Holi Video

admin — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 23:16:23 +0000

I know, I know, I’m obsessed. But honestly, what’s not to absolutely love about this little film? It’s nothing short of magical. Soon, Holi, soon….

Paul Cadden

admin — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:09:04 +0000

Can you believe that these are drawings? I’ve always admired people with drawing skills so precise they look like they’re actually photographs, but these drawings by Paul Cadden blow almost anything I’ve ever seen out of the water – what he calls “hyperrealist”.

Handmade Fonts

admin — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:56:28 +0000

I’m always interested in lettering that goes a step above average. If you feel the same, I suggest checking out Handmadefont - below is just one of their gorgeous fonts in use. The alphabets they create are so creative and inventive!

Jingle Trucks

admin — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:50:55 +0000

Of all of the amazing things that I saw in India, I think that the jingle trucks were by far my favorite. All over Indian highways there are these Tata trucks that each driver fully customizes to their own liking, painting them brilliant colors, adding eyes to the back and front of the truck, dangling pompoms and tassels from every available point. They’re all totally unique, and often made even more so by their unique horns – every time I heard them they would send me into hysterics. meepMEEPmeepMEEPmeepMEEP or boopBOOP-beeeeep-boopBOOP-beep and so on, passing you at breakneck speeds and with mere inches to spare on each side.

If you’d like to learn bit more about these amazing trucks, click here for an in-depth history.

Unique Boutonnieres

admin — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:26:43 +0000

Instead of the boring and matching traditional groom’s boutonniere, why not try one of these fun ideas instead?

See more ideas here.

Bonsai Architecture

admin — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:10:02 +0000

I am completely bowled over by these miniature bonsai sculptures/architectural models by Takanori Aiba. The level of detail is just astounding.

I want to live in one of these tiny houses!

Holi

admin — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:54:20 +0000

I’ve previously posted about Holi but I was reminded of it this week when I talked to all my new Indian friends and they were all gathering to celebrate this amazing festival. If only we had stayed another week we could have participated with everyone! Sigh. Oh well, next time!

Has anyone ever been able to participate in any Holi festivities? If so, I’d love to hear about it! It looks like so much fun.

Bespoke Tents

admin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:59:26 +0000

Imagine having one of these tents hanging out in your backyard, just waiting for a party – I think I’d have to have people over every day, just to show it off.

If you’re so inclined, you can get a fully-custom tent made for yourself at Boutique Tents!

Akshardam Temple

admin — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:23:36 +0000

When I was in India, there was this amazing temple that we had a chance to visit, but unfortunately I was not able to take pictures. Thankfully, there are ones provided by the temple website that I can share here. It was an amazing temple – incredible hand-carved details and a monumental scale. We had to take off our shoes to visit, which I think only heightens the experience. What’s amazing about it is that it was only built in the last 10 or so years, and isn’t some ancient artifact. The level of craftsmanship is simply astounding; you really start to think that no one in the world values craftsman anymore, until you see this.

The above picture is a detail of the ceiling – not only do the layers go up in ascending order, but they’re all carved from just one piece of marble. Can you imagine the patience and precision it would take in order to create something like this not just once, but many times over? There are a dozen ceilings like this, all with their own unique design.

What’s amazing is that all of this lies in the heart of busy, congested, polluted Delhi. The grounds alone are a fantastic respite from the hustle and bustle, and would be impressive anywhere, let alone in the middle of a chaotic cosmopolitan city.

Arches

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:16:28 +0000

I made a little road trip out to Arches National Park last summer and have only just now gotten around to looking at the pictures. It was an amazing photographic opportunity – it had been raining on and off for several days so I was able to get lots of super-saturated colors and the usually blindingly bright light was more subdued. Here are a few of my favorites.

You generally don’t think about the desert having so many different colors, but between the vegetation and all of the beautiful and strange colors caused by the unique geology of the area, there really is quite a bit of depth out there in the wastelands.

What is one of your favorite places to photograph?

Josh Keyes

admin — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:24:11 +0000

I’ve always really been struck by Josh Keyes’ work, and the juxtaposition between completely disparate elements. There’s a certain cheekiness to his paintings, the message of which is only bolstered by his evident skill with a brush. Click here to see more of his paintings.

His official biography:

“Josh Keyes was born in Tacoma, Washington. He received a BFA in 1992 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA in 1998 from Yale. Eighteenth-century aesthetics and philosophies, particularly those of the Neoclassical and Romantic movements, shape his work. Keyes is drawn to the clinical and often cold vocabulary of scientific textbook illustrations, which express the empirical “truth” of the world and natural phenomena. He infuses into a rational stage set many references to contemporary events along with images and themes from his personal mythology and experience. These elements come together in an unsettling vision, one that speaks to the hope, fear, and anxiety of our time. Keyes currently lives and works in Portland Oregon with his wife, graphic designer Lisa Ericson.”

India

admin — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:51:52 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to attend an Indian wedding in…India! It was totally last minute and I only got to spend about 9 total days over there but I had the absolute time of my life. Indian hospitality is legendary. They treated as as part of the family, quite truly. There is no way to describe everything we saw and experienced in that time, but here are some of my favorite pictures, just to give you an idea.

Carr Manor

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:41:36 +0000

In Cripple Creek, Colorado (a town more known for casinos and motorcycle touring) there is a fabulous old schoolhouse-turned-hotel called Carr Manor. I was fortunate enough to stop in for a visit a year or so ago and was charmed by the entire schoolhouse itself, as well as the rooms, which are all individually appointed and share such features as original blackboards. One of the rooms even has a built-in hot tub/bar!

If you ever happen to find yourself in Cripple Creek, I think this would be a fantastic place to stay, and if not that, at least a great place to stop in for a visit.

Jellyfish Tank

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:46:23 +0000

I have a sort of love/hate relationship with jellyfish, in that I love them and think they’re fascinating and beautiful to watch but I hate them because I am really allergic and thus terribly afraid of them. I’ve had my fair share of encounters with the squiggly beasts out there in the wilderness, but I think that I would prefer them in a lovely enclosed container on my desk.

This amazing tank is specially designed to hold jellyfish, which would get sucked up into the water intake of a normal fishtank. Thanks to great success on kickstarter, you can preorder your tank right now!

Downton Abbey

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:12:11 +0000

I know, I know. Masterpiece Theater, British TV show, etc., BUT – have you seen the costuming? It’s exquisite. I love all of the small details – the patterns, the lace, the beadwork, and oh, the hats.

The show itself is actually quite compelling and I think the acting is amazing – subtle, but well-rounded, and the characters are much more dignified and realistic than I think your typical tv character is. They do an amazing job of not stereotyping male and female characters, which shouldn’t be a revelation, but really is.

Who knew the early turn of the century was quite so stylish? I think I might have next year’s Halloween costume in the bag!

L. L. Bean Signature

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:56:55 +0000

Who knew that this classic American standby could be so chic?

Though I think that men find a lot more on offer when it comes to really well made American sportswear classics, this is still a great find. And I’ve always lamented the lack of the same for women, but it seems that L. L. Bean could be really fitting the bill here. A tweet jacket with elbow patches? I’ll take one in every color, thank you! And with luggage like that, you’d have to try hard not to want to take it on an adventure every weekend.

Mapping Stereotypes

admin — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:34:24 +0000

You can find some amazingly well-designed and hilarious stereotype maps over at Alpha Designer – I’ve just showcased perspectives of the world according to Americans but there’s a whole variety of stereotypes to be had. Click here to see just how many ways you can view the world!

Back to the Future

admin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:03:01 +0000

Photographer Irina Werning has accomplished an amazing project – before and after photos that not only recreate a pose and a feeling but the exposure and texture of the photographs themselves! Some are beautiful, some are poignant and sweet, and some are just downright funny, but they are all extremely charming and her talent is quite obvious. Make sure to check out both series one and two.

Country Summer Wedding

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:10:46 +0000

It’s a wee bit after the fact now, but as I’ve been bad with blogging I figure it’s never too late to share. Some of my very good friends got married this summer up in the beautiful mountains of Estes Park, Colorado, and I was honored not only to be part of the wedding party but to be able to share in creating some of the memorable details. Some of my favorites included birch branches that were cut down and turned into tea light holders by the groom, and a wide variety of hand-picked pinecones decorating the tables that I spent months digging for, looking for only the most perfect ones!

They wanted an affair that was rustic, vintage, chic, mountain-y, and somehow highlighted their western spirit (the bride rides rodeo, and the groom’s family is in buffalo ranching). The challenge was to do so without breaking out the hay bales and the red bandanas. I loved the way that everything came together visually, and it was an amazing party as well. Nothing like two-stepping the night away to a killer country band!