cool images

Trolling the internets for cool images that might inspire or illuminate my work is a highlight of my job as an interior design student. Sometimes there are unfortunate consequences, such as picking up elaborate viruses embedded in jpgs. Mostly, though, I find really cool images that, in fact, do inspire.

Or amuse.

Recently while conducting a basic Google image search, I stumbled upon Flickr Hive Mind, which, in all the time I've spent on flickr, I had never seen.

I love learning something new every day!

tools of the trade: hi-glider

True confession: I write in books. Well, mostly I underline, in pencil or pen but never in highlighter. I dabbled some when I was a first year in college. Back in the dark ages. The heavy blocks of colored marker always seemed to be too much, distracting rather than drawing attention to the very important words. I especially despise buying a used textbook that has been injudiciously highlighted.

Last fall while buying massive amounts of art supplies for design school, I bought one of these newfangled highlighters on impulse. The Hi-Glider comes in a full complement of colors, but I've only seen pink and yellow. Honestly, I thought it would end up in the junk drawer, but it is so buttery, I can't help but highlight with abandon.

a song or two

For today, some roots-based music. 


A touch of punk:


A touch of Delta, with guest Mavis Staples:



And a bit of rock. I love this song, especially Peaches' contribution, though I'm sure I'll be sick to death of it by the time it's released as a single. 

my april mood

Just a few more days left on my Illustrator trial so I couldn’t resist making another inspiration board.

Top row (l to r)

1. Pretty and swishy skirts (via Talbots). I live in skirts from April to October. In addition to busting out my collection, I hope to supplement my wardrobe with a new skirt. This linen skirt, in "soft maroon," is also a candidate--wouldn't it look great with the espadrilles?

2. Grapefruit cross-section (via 101 Cookbooks). The way this grapefruit has been cut, against the grain, gave me a new way of looking at the fruit. The pattern, in all of nature's randomness, is intriguing.

3. "Ernesta" denim espadrilles (via espadrillesetc.com). These shoes could extend my wardrobe in new directions.

4. Color by me with help from Illustrator's eyedropper function.

5. Charley Harper birds (via Harper's Bazaar). Since Harper's revival in 2007, I have been moderately interested in his work, but, at the moment, I am obsessed.

Middle row (l to r)

1.  It's time to ride. I've looked at so many bicycle websites and blogs lately that I'm not quite sure where this image came from...maybe Dutch Bike Company or Batavus. Classic 3-speed.

2. This coffee cup whispered to me while on a browsing trip to Anthropologie. We have plenty of coffee mugs, but now that the boys drink tea as part of their afterschool decompression, we tend to run out of clean cups pretty quickly. I have begun to suspect that this pretty cup has the ability to perk me up in the morning and to give me a little extra something for working through the wee hours of the night.

3 and 6. Color by me and the eyedropper.

4. Felt wall hanging by Submaterial, a very clever Colorado company that has turned industrial felt into artful objects.

5. Summer night, my patio (iphone plus hipstamic app).

Bottom row (l to r)

1. Starburst brooch, source unknown.

2. Cherry blossoms certainly say spring in Japan and in some parts of the U.S. (photo via sushicam), but not the upper midwest part.

3. Color, again, by me and the eyedropper.

4. French sailor shirts never go out of style (via brittanyboutique.com)