Better Letters: Ampersand

Do I have any letter-lovers or typophiles in my readership? If so, a have a Friday treat for you...

Today I'm participating in a battle of hand-lettered ampersands at Better Letters. Better Letters hosts daily competitions between designers: one letter, one day to create, one winner.

Which & is the Better Letter? Go vote!

Resolution: Wake Up Earlier

Not a resolution I'm thrilled to be sticking to after a long and lazy vacation. Oh, caffeine and pretty things, please get me through the day...

Starbucks Cinnamon-Infused Ground Coffee & Bodum Chambord French Press

Molly Hatch Menagerie Glass from Anthropologie, Retro Coffee Print from Etsy

"Coffee" Lettering via Pinterest & Vintage Continental Raymond Loewy Script Coffee Pot from Etsy

Chanteclair Chihuahua Print

A Natural Wonder

If I had a large wall to decorate, say, in a hip live/work loft in the city, you better believe I'd rasterbate this piece to giant size...

Posted at Trailheads in Redwoods Park

My weekly hikes with Adam are an incredible source of inspiration- but who would've thought I'd find such a graphic gem off the beaten path?

The WarLock Wedding: Save the Date!

Adam and I wanted our save-the-date cards to be truly personal... so I designed, letterpressed, and hand-addressed them all myself. Here they are!

The cards are traditional but witty, illustrating a piece of who we are as a couple: we love to dine finely in good company! They are enclosed in shimmery gold envelopes that should gleam in each guest's mailbox. I printed my return address onto the pointed envelope flap, and scripted the recipients' addresses in white ink. My hope is that it will be as exciting for our friends and family to receive this news as it is for us to send it. We absolutely cannot wait to celebrate with everyone!

Photographs & Design © ShocktheBourgeois

Design Beginnings

I am often asked, "when did you first become interested in design?" Hmmm. Well, let's see...

This is me, age five.

And this was my favorite book.

Can you tell that it's been my best-loved book? It has more than its fair share of rips and tears! I badly want a crisp copy, but Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse! has long been out of print- and books as tattered as mine sell for $60. What I have is a treasure in many ways.

The book is the illustrated portfolio of Ms. Henrietta Mouse. She is "an artist, a designer, a dreamer, a builder, a creator, all that and more too." She's designed a tower observatory for Owl, a cozy cave for Bear, a hopping pad for Frog. At five, I thought Pig's palace was the most splendid of them all. To be honest, I still think that tole chandelier is fabulous.

Click to see all the detail (can you spot Ms. Mouse?).

Here's my rendition. I've obviously taken some liberties with the layout.

It's funny to reflect (as I type this post at a desk strewn with paint chips, fabric swatches, and decor magazines), that I'm not so different from my five-year-old self. Yes, I now prefer fine-tipped pens to crayons, but I'm still drawing up elaborate plans, and Ms. Mouse still inspires me.

"Her head is like a carousel whirling with colors, fabrics, and designs. Look at her. Always at her drawing table, always creating for others. There she is roughing out her schemes and themes trying to change each creature's house from the commonplace to the extraordinary. For hours and hours she struggles to find perfection."

You and me both, Henrietta. So, maybe my answer is... when haven't I been interested in design?




Update: I scanned a few more amusing images of my earliest design projects. Quite the portfolio! You can view them at the Shock the Bourgeois Facebook page. Be sure to click "like" while you're there!

Drawing Up a Business Plan

I've decided it's high time I had a real business card (though I've yet to determine what my title should be, hmmmm). The plan is to craft my own design and letterpress the cards with my Epic 6. I've been flipping through my rolodex (okay, fine, I don't really have a rolodex) for inspiration. My head is so full, I don't know how I'm going to cull it all down into 2.5 x 3 inches.

Business cards with an illustrative quality always draw me in...

Click on any of the delightful business cards above to be directed to their websites.

Speaking of business, I've got a little blog business to attend to this week: I'll be posting a reader survey to get your opinions on schedule, advertising, and the future look of Shock the Bourgeois. Will you chime in?

Here & Now: A Study of Matilda

We should have known better than to pick out the cat with a question mark on her face. Matilda insists on doing what she oughtn't, using her considerable cleverness for wicked purposes, and conversing only in sarcastic meows. She is ever the contrarian. But she did very graciously pose for this dignified portrait.

The Finishing Touch

Just as jewelry lends sparkle to an outfit, this pillow could certainly dress up my settee...

Jaime Pearl Pillow from CB2 (Thanks for the tip, Ann!)

On the positive side, a classic, Fornasetti-esque illustration. On the negative, Adam would probably hate it!

You're Invited (If you DARE)

The First Annual WarLock Family Halloween Extravaganza looms on the horizon! This morning was spent assembling the invitations, which feature Tildy WarLock's grumpy question mark face...

Did I doubt my sanity as I painstakingly snipped each tiny whisker? Clearly, yes.

My perfectionism boggles the mind.

If you're a Bay Area blogger, blog-reader or general party person, would you dare attend our Extravaganza? Say boo if you'd like an invite!

A Thank-You Note to Twig & Fig

Being a blogger, crafter, and general freelance type means that I spend most of my time alone in my little Berkeley apartment. I love making my own hours and rocking my own dress code (sweat pants, hell yes), but there's always a point in the afternoon when I know I must put on real clothes, must talk to someone who's not a cat, must leave the house.

I've plotted a little route around the neighborhood that satisfies. I sip an iced coffee from Peet's, stroll by the best gardens to see what's blooming, chat with the girl at the flower stand, check out the menu at Chez Panisse, peer in the windows of the estate jewelry boutique, and very often stop into a favorite paperie, Twig & Fig.

On Saturday I had to get out and enjoy the late summer sun, and I had special incentive via a tweet from Twig & Fig: "a special surprise awaits." What could it be?

A bundle of their letterpress cards! 

What a way to sweeten my weekend! The sampling included cards from several of their collections that I'd long been ogling (especially the foil skull + Edison bulb on wood veneer, it's brilliant!). These cards are much more than pretty design (and pretty faces, just check out Mr. 70s Sexy there!). They're also made from 100% recycled materials, from the brown bag envelopes and soda bottle felt to the biodegradable cello packaging. Their designs might pay homage to vintage aesthetic, but Twig & Fig is certainly forward-thinking! 

The crow, of course, will never be stamped and mailed- I'm keeping it for me! 

How did they know I was starting to decorate for Autumn?

Thanks to Twig & Fig for making my afternoon escape even more delightful than usual!

Renegade Weekend

We had quite an artsy-craftsy weekend at...

This was our first trip to Renegade, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd hoped to do a bit of networking, but alas, the classic rock was pumped up so loud I could hardly manage more than "hello" and "love your work!" at each booth. Luckily, I did get to meet the lovely Lisa of Violet Swan and the blog Le Petit Cadeau (remember her?), whose pieces are somehow even more romantic in person.

My favorites included sweet and simple plates by Rae Dunn and a bunny tea towel by Flock Home. Naturally this graphic print by Nora Aoyagi captured my heart (it would be fantastic against the dark walls in my kitchen, fyi).

We had a great time- we even embraced the oh-so prevalent hipster 'stache trend. I sported a "Mr. Gloucester MT" (thanks to Old Tom Foolery), and Adam decided to try out a new look...

Best Things in Life

When I was a freshman in college (and away from home for the first time in my life) my Mom sent me dozens of postcards. I remember how reassuring it was to find one waiting for me in my otherwise empty mailbox.

This one has always been my favorite.

Illustration by Simon Drew

On the back she's written, "hope you're feeling a little brighter today and your outlook is cheerier." Years later, when I'm feeling worried and overwhelmed, this happy thought in familiar handwriting is just as comforting. Plus, I do love me a green-eyed tabby cat and a clever pun.

Speaking of handsome kitties, I've just entered this photo of Phineas in a contest on Martha Stewart's website. The prize is a year's worth of kibble, and I'm thinking it's about time that one of these spoiled cats of mine started bringing home the bacon! 

Pretty in Pink

Those of you who live with men know that decorating for two can be a challenge. By "a challenge" I mean, this is not going to happen in my house as long as Adam is living there too:

Photo Courtesy of Traditional Home Magazine

Bedroom Design by Dee Elms & Andrew Terrat

'Pale pink with a canopy bed," calls to mind a spoiled 5-year-old's princess bedroom, but this is no such thing. Beneath the candy colors, this room is all sophistication. Textural finishes, graphic black lines... and I love how the opening peony references the ikat pillow!

I've already pushed my luck enough with lavender walls and floral bath towels. But maybe I could sneak some of these into the house?

Molly Hatch Ceramics at Lola, from my iPhone

Photo Courtesy of Molly Hatch on Etsy

Isn't that uncanny? The sweet pastel pink, fresh green, touches of orange, and of course the crisp black outlines. These illustrated ceramic pieces by Molly Hatch have me smitten. Perhaps the boyfriend could bring home a bouquet of springy tea cups?

Girl Around Town: Art & Muse

This afternoon I went adventuring to Queen Anne to see a family friend's art displayed at Muse Coffee.

For a better look at Anita's work, check out her Etsy store. 

I'm dying to have a copy of her Architect's Alphabet...

I fell in love with Muse and its chic loft aesthetic. If only I had splurged on the converted factory loft apartment in Berkeley... then I too could have a wooden moose head, a pair of scribbly-note chandeliers, ornate hanging divider panels, and perhaps even a chair swinging from the rafters. Oh, for high ceilings and exposed brick!

Anyway, if you live on Queen Anne and your apartment sucks, I highly recommend that you indulge in the supremely rich espresso and equally flavorful decor at Muse!

Show & Tell: BYW Mood Board

Hello my lovely, patient readers! As you may have noticed, I've been here, there, and everywhere... except on my blog. I've been purchasing (more on that later), adventuring (more on that later), and learning from the great blogging masters: this winter I enrolled in Blogging Your Way, an e-class taught by the estimable Holly Becker of Decor8. 

Our latest assignment was to create a mood board. I was excited to break out my scissors and get clipping- until I remembered that my prodigious stash of snippets, magazines, and what-not was in another state. Drat! I started hunting through the odds and ends that I had on hand: the clipboard for my to-do list, some finds from my weekend jaunt through Pike Place Market with the delightful Maggie of Magchunk, a favorite necklace, a photo of my neurotic cat...

I was surprised (and for the sake of BYW, totally relieved) to see how beautiful it all looked when assembled. 

Voila. A mood board, and a glimpse at the aesthetic I'll be infusing into my new apartment and the new website for Shock the Bourgeois! (I told you we have a lot of catching up to do!)

In the Cards

Once, as a little girl, I received a deck of tarot cards as a gift. I couldn't make heads or tails or cups or swords of the whole thing, but I loved the illustrations!

Tarot cards are steeped in history and symbolism, depicting classic archetypes of the human experience. Adam may raise an eyebrow to the occult association, but he's a Joseph Campbell enthusiast and an avid student of Medieval literature. I wonder if I could persuade him to consider some tarot art in the new place?

I've seen individually-framed cards before, and I caught a glimpse of this giclee in a house tour. The cards are divine in this 3x3 presentation, but I'm not so excited by the illustrations (or the price).

I did, however, have way too much fun with the new feature at AllPosters that allows you to view pieces "on the wall" in a selection of styled rooms. Yeah. Way too much fun.

I foresee a DIY project for the Berkeley apartment. I like the style of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, but the bright yellow and orange throws me. Perhaps I'll trace and hand-color my own (especially if I'm unemployed for any length of time).

Images from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck courtesy of Tarot Experts & Instant Oracle

I'm not superstitious, but I might do a little research first to make sure I don't hang some dire prediction on my wall! What do you think?

A Wistful Wednesday

I've been doing a lot of and wishing and wanting and wisting lately, which is unfortunate, seeing as our Berkeley bills are already putting us in a State-of-California-esque budget crisis.

Can't stop an overactive imagination though.

For instance, I am daydreaming that I will suddenly come into a great fortune.  My first act as my rich self will be to casually offer some outrageous sum to the "current owner" of this Jen Corace piece, because I simply must have it for my collection.

Awkward in Any Situation by Jen Corace

Image Courtesy of Art Star

Miss Corace, hearing of this, will naturally wish to meet her mysterious admirer, and we will meet for tea to discuss children's book illustration. She'll find me utterly charming and insist upon drawing me as a 10 times more adorable person in Victorian costume, possibly entangled in a giant octopus. I'll very graciously say, "HELL YES."

***

As my lunch break ends, so does my day dream. But I'm still pondering scrounging for $32 to buy a calendar...

Image Courtesy of Art Star