school supplies

Do you remember getting ready to go back to school as a kid? I loved going with Mom and my sister to pick out school supplies. Fresh packets of graph paper, boxes of felt tip markers, pink pearl erasers, sharpened crayons and spiral notebooks were my favorite things. I think my love of school supplies has translated into a love of office supplies as I’ve gotten older. As a result, one of my online addictions is See Jane Work. This is the grown-up "school supply" mecca. They always have great deals and their selection is incredible. Everything is well-designed and colorful too - just a few of their items can help make even the dreariest of cubes or desks more cheerful. Photo Credits: See Jane Work.

let the wild rumpus begin!

Finally saw the new trailer for Where the Wild Things Are, directed and co-written by Spike Jonze. Based on Maurice Sendak's wonderful book, the movie adaptation looks beautiful. I am loving the handwriting titles and the song in the trailer, too - "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire. The film hits theaters in October. (Images: Warner Bros.)

modern baby shower

Well, finally got a chance to enter another design contest at minted – a site that features fun and creative invitation and stationery lines from independent designers. This month, the challenge is to design modern baby shower invitations and beth perry DESIGN has nine (!) entries. Yikes. Kind of couldn’t stop once I got started.

If you have a moment, please vote for mine - winners and runners-up get to have their designs sold on the site! Voting on a design requires that you first sign up for a free account – it takes only a few seconds, just click here to register. (Plus, once you have an account, you get notified about their fantastic sales and discounts.) See the beth perry DESIGN entries by following these links – pictured from top: Belair, Rothko, Victoria and Albert, Amalfi, Marrakesh, Bond Street, Ornithology, Schoolyard, and Wallpaper. Thanks so much for your support! It is so appreciated!

latest lyell

Designer Emma Fletcher always has the most gorgeous campaigns for her line, Lyell. The latest collection, Spring '09, does not disappoint. The photography by Tamara Schlesinger is just beautiful.

eudora!

Look at what just arrived in the mail! Eudora Welty as Photographer, edited by Welty scholar Pearl Amelia McHaney, is hot off the University Press of Mississippi. For me, having grown up in the South, it would be difficult to recall high school and college courses without Welty on the syllabus. In particular, my very first college class at Washington and Lee had Prof. Heather Ross Miller at the helm. We had class in a room normally used for music and learned all about Flannery O’Connor, William Faulkner, Welty and a host of other southern authors while surrounded by pianos, guitars and clarinets resting on stands. Thinking about that class always reminds me that stories can be told in so many ways – whether via prose, musical notes, an artist's canvas or in this case, photography. The photos collected in this new book are fantastic – full of light and patterns – and can almost be seen as tangible extensions of Welty’s novels and short stories. The people and places she captured seem to have a literary quality all their own. It's wonderful.

paris, je t'aime

Just some random photos from my trip to Paris a while ago. Went to an art exhibit opening last week that featured a wonderful collection of American and European artists - everyone from Kandinsky to Degas to Gauguin to Redon. In particular, the Impressionist works definitely reminded me of my last visit to the Musée d'Orsay. Since I may not get back there for a while, this was an excellent chance right here in North Carolina to have a little artsy staycation and view masterworks from many well-known artists. If you are in or around Charlotte between now and June, you must stop in and take a look at the exhibit at the Mint Museum of Art. Even better, the collection is traveling from the New Orleans Museum of Art and the fees that the museum generates from this exhibition benefit its Katrina Recovery Fund.

And, speaking of Paris, proposals for a new master plan for the city were unveiled last week - you can read about them in the NY Times.

little treats

Can I just tell you how much I love sea salt caramels? Alas, I gave up sweets for Lent, so I have resorted to just writing about them. But, these particular sweets are most delicious - packed with the perfect sweet and salty flavor combination. And, some of the best I've tried are from Little Flower Candy Co. If you are a lucky Californian, you can stop in their Pasadena shop, or you can order online and have them delivered anywhere! They also have square-shaped, homemade marshmallows in lots of different flavors. Really a nice extra something to enjoy with hot chocolate or your morning coffee. Photo credits: Little Flower Candy Co.

the bachelorette

I designed these bachelorette party invites recently. The layout includes phrases and words sent in by the bridesmaids about the bride-to-be: "gracious, funny, warm . . . daring, mischievious . . ." It turned out beautifully - fun and personalized without being too "cute." I love how the fresh green and deep, rich navy text just melted right into the cottony paper.

map genius

What a great idea! Ork Posters has these colorful neighborhood maps for most major North American cities. Wish they had one for where I live, but until then, I am perfectly content to admire these. I love the clean, crisp design and the fresh colors. Thanks to Decker for the inspiration!

Image Credits: Ork Posters

i heart austin

Went to Austin, Tex. last weekend to hang out with some friends. We had so much fun and I was able to snap some great photos. Austin is always perfectly warm and bright - definitely a good break from the depths of winter in the east. The escape didn't last long though - we flew home to a whirling snow storm! Pictures from top: enjoyed afternoon cocktails at Doc's; I liked the windowpanes in this Florist Shop; margaritas and sunset high above Lake Travis at the Oasis; Hotel San Jose courtyard entrance at night; the Allens Boots sign; and cheerful chairs and delicious homemade brunch at my friend Caroline's house.

in print

Oh, I am crazy-nuts about antique prints! They are perfect for hanging in small spaces that need some color, or group lots and lots of them together in different frames to cover the empty place above the sofa. (My friend, L.C., just did exactly that, and it makes her apartment look like a page from domino magazine. Btw, domino, you will be missed!)

Anyway, I came across Panteek on a recent online search. With more than 30 years in the antique business, they know their stuff. Best of all, the prices are fair and the selection is incredible. The images above are from Panteek.com and most of these are still available for purchase. Check it - top to bottom: Orvis Lake Flies -1892, Munting - Aloe Vera, Bodmer - Native American, Curtis - Asiatic Globe-flower, and Jefferys - Queen Elizabeth.