Posts from July 2007

According to the rules of "tag" (stated in Emily's post below), here are 8 facts about me. Below are the blogs I am tagging...and my apologies to these bloggers if they have already participated!

A Cup of Jo

Girl Meets Glamour

Katiedid

Patricia Gray

1. I have an “arranged” marriage. My little sister and my husband’s little sister are best friends, and at age 15 they decided we should be together and luckily we, though significantly older, listened to them!

2. The ocean and all its creatures scare me to the point that I will not go in water past my ankles, so that what’s swimming around me is visible. (I’m a joy to have around at the beach.)

3. I could never get enough of Vosges’ Black Pearl bars—dark wasabi-infused chocolate with black sesame seeds.

4. Not-so-secretly, my dream come true to would be to appear in a large-group choreographed dance in a movie or in “real” life. Some of my favorite examples:

a. Wedding reception “Dirty Dancing”

b. The prom scene from the movie She’s All That

c. Feist's 1 2 3 4 video

5. I failed Safety Town because I refused to make the pretend 911 call.

6. For unexplained reasons I can’t eat the last bite of a sandwich, ever.

7. I hate gadgets. When the iPhone came out all I could think was, I just want a phone that calls people.

8. I have yellow-colored eyes.

Orbit Wonder Wallet in cream w/ orange & grey stitching...

While we were out shopping on Saturday, EFF whipped out this sweet wallet of hers by Queen Bee Creations®. I think she got the hint that I liked it, cause she sent me an email the next day letting me know where I could get one, too!

Poppy Truckette Bag, red w/ orange poppy; Cumulus Tomo, cream w/ sky blue cloud... both available from Queen Bee Creations®

And, given my addiction (see #7), I couldn't resist posting some of QB's adorable bags... give their waterproof vinyl and super-durable seat-belt straps, these bags are great for those of us who are a little rougher on their stuff than others (like me!) -

images c/o buyolympia.com.

For whatever reason, when I hear someone say "you've been tagged," I immediately think about someone's store front or home being "tagged" with graffiti... maybe it's the large amount of time that's past since I've been little enough to play actual tag OR maybe it's because I live in a city where graffiti is just kind of a normal, everyday thing.

Either way, the SCOOP has been tagged. Not once, but twice - by tto at a $10,000 wedding. and by Whitney from Brown Sugar Design Studio... so, I don't want to be a party-pooper (and I want to see what Laura's 8 things are ;) - so here goes:

Players list 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, players then tag 8 people by posting their names and leaving a comment at the tagee’s blog, to make sure they know they’ve been tagged.

1) I'm a hair twirler. That's right... I, obsessive-compulsively, play with my hair. It's really only when I'm working (or, conversely, spacing-out thinking about something) - I've had very short hair for a good 10 years (since my freshman year in college up until about 2 years ago) - and the long hair I've got going now (which I'm growing to donate to Locks of Love) is something I'm not really used to...

2) I have a spotty birthmark on the inside of my right elbow that is identical to a birthmark my mother had... same spot, same birthmark. Weird.

3) I have 1 tattoo & 6 piercings... I blame art school & self-expression.

4) I met Jw at a craft show where he bought one of my journals... we've been together pretty much ever since.

5) OrangeBeautiful got its name because orange is my favorite color, and I like creating beautiful things. Also, I'll be the first to admit that I chose the name because it's memorable and easy (most of the time) to spell... key ingredients in choosing a long-lasting & marketable company name.

6) There are 2 commercials on TV currently that Jw has to fast-forward through so that I won't start crying uncontrollably: that IAMS commercial with David Ducovney talking about the shelter dogs that just want a home - and the ASPSA public service announcement with Sarah McLachlan. What can I say? I'm a sucker for cute animals...

7) I have serious (bordering on medical) addictions to the following things: shoes, bags & jackets. I'm not currently seeking help for these.

8) Quitting my job and starting OrangeBeautiful are easily the best decisions I've ever made (which includes participating in the craft show where I met Jw).

Oh, and I'm only going to tag 4 people (and let Laura tag the remaining 4)... hopefully, these folks haven't already been tagged:

Jess at How About Orange?...

Angela at Edizioni

Christopher at The Empire Collective

Jane at The Speckled Egg

BTW, you can read tto's & BSD's 8 things here and here, respectively.

While flipping through the Ballard Designs catalog that arrived yesterday, this black and cream wallpaper featured in the background of several product shots caught my eye. Sure enough, the Calligraphy Stripe paper is available to order through their site. I think it's so elegant, and with its strong vertical lines I could see it in an entryway or hallway really emphasizing the ceiling height. And I think it would look very modern with clean-lined furnishings and brightly colored lamps/accessories.

Image from Ballard Designs.

• Oh Happy Day: the title says it all... this blog is full of all sort of goodies: design, food, fashion, interiors - love it all.

• PH Baird Design Firm: a design blog w/ a focus on interiors, furniture design & remodeling. It's clean, concise & easy to look at.

• Love Made Visible: found out about this one way back in Aug 06 when Priya posted about OB ;) I think this is one of the best looking blogs around... the pictures are always bright & clear and the format is easy to scroll through. Oh, and I love those Dalliance titles!

• Making It Lovely: this blog is Nicole's (of Pink Loves Brown), who I've known for quite a while... she makes adorable, adorable stationery, paper goods, etc. etc. The blog focuses mostly on the re-vamp of her home that she shares with her husband in OP, IL. (I love the ProjectTracker in the sidebar that shows the % complete of each of the house's rooms!)

ENJOY!

images/logos c/o their respective blogs/designers.

On Sunday, I saw this post on eendar* (which was a follow-up to this post on Oh Joy!) both about Oslo Press - a new invitations & design company out of North Carolina...

I love the concept of setting the invitation apart - not only in its design - but in the actual printing method & materials used: OP laser-cuts the text & designs of its invitation cards out of various domestic hardwood veneers. Using Somerset, Crane & Arturo stocks, your additional cards & envelopes are letterpress-printed with corresponding ink colors & motifs...

Check out the entire collection here.

images c/o Oslo Press.

There’s something really fun about the chunky, shiny opulence of these “gem”-covered accessories. I love this fancy business card holder for occasions when a utilitarian business card holder just won’t cut it (or even for all the time. Great business cards deserve equally beautiful carrying cases!).

These BCBG slingbacks are a great end-of-summer deal. My sister bought these a few weeks ago and in her words, they are her “favorite shoes EVER”. She actually sent me pictures of her wearing them, she was so excited, and they looked so gorgeous with her French pedicure.

Finally, I really think I need to order this Kelly Wearstler-esque Amazonite brooch ring from Banana Republic. I love everything about it: those pale blue stones, the geometric layout, and the ropework setting. (Apparently I can't get enough of ropes lately.) Plus it’s only $38! I would wear this with something really simple, like jeans and a white tank, and let it take all the glory.

Images, top to bottom, from Nordstrom, Amazon and Banana Republic.

Short Sleeve Classic Top, $141 and Strap Cami Dress, $194; both available online at active endeavors.

This past weekend, I went shopping on Armitage Ave. with the lovely EFF... let's just say we drooled over a lot of clothes that day, but my favorites were these pieces by T-Bags @ active endeavors.

V-Tie Back Cami, $150 at active endeavors.

I'm not sure what it is... probably the colors; maybe the patterns... most likely, a combination of the two. But whatever it is, at some point, I'm going to have to shell out a chunk of cash to purchase something by this company. Their stuff is just too cute.

Halter Blouse Top, $150 at active endeavors.

images c/o active endeavors.

My friend Lindsay sent me the link to Linda & Harriett, a letterpress card line designed by a friend of hers from college, who turns out to be the self-taught Liz Coulson Libré. What I love about this stationery line is that it's inspired by her family; in fact, Liz intentionally incorporated her mom's taste for the "beautiful, the practical and the whimsical" into her cards.

Even the company's name is family inspired--"Linda" is in honor of Liz's late mother, and "Harriett" her grandmother. Her love for these ladies comes through in the collection; the subjects, colors and patterns feel both familiar and warm.

Images from Linda & Harriett.

I am seriously spoiled to have Laura as a friend... and that's especially true when it comes to getting gifts from her.

L was sweet enough to send me a birthday gift (that I believe she picked up for me when she was in Atlanta?) - and it arrived today: beautifully wrapped, of course ;)

and I couldn't be more blissful about what was inside! These great silver bird silhouette earrings are PERFECT!!!... and so right on, combining all my weird obsessions right now: birds, silhouettes & earrings!

She gets it right every time.

Thanks, L... you're the best!

images by me.

doesn't mean you should.

La Canadienne Trish boots, in red, available at Piperlime.

Each time that it rains here in Chicago (and pretty much the entire winter), I realize how drab people's style gets... and, quite frankly, it bothers me. I think some of us just stop trying. A lot of people - who maybe aren't that stylish to begin with - just completely give up and you feel like the entire city has turned into a big ball of khaki pants and navy blue nylon windbreakers. Snore.

CK Belted Trench, available at Nordstrom.

When I lived in Scotland, it rained nearly every day... there was no "good" weather (at least in our definition) and people were always looking stylish. There were no totes™ umbrellas with broken spokes (actually, the only people with umbrellas at all were tourists) and if someone was wearing a jacket, it was good-looking and functional... maybe it just doesn't rain here enough for people to "invest" in a rain-worthy wardrobe.

I, for one, am dying to have a pair of Wellie-style galoshes, like these Chooka Tatoo City ones pictured above... every time it rains, I think, 'damn, why don't I have an adorable pair of rain boots to wear!' -

And just because it's raining doesn't mean that your brightly-colored stuff goes back in the closet... I love this bright red rain jacket from Urban Outfitters. Not only is it adorable and bright - it also has a removeable hood & rain flap, so you could wear it when it's not raining, too!

shoe images c/o Piperlime; trench image c/o Nordstrom and rain jacket image c/o Urban Outfitters.

In these days of rampant consumerism, it’s good to stop and reconsider things we already own and think about how they might be repositioned or reused to greater effect, rather than trashing old stuff and buying everything new. One person who does this exceptionally well is Genifer Goodman, whose homes have been featured in at least three publications that I have saved: her Chicago apartment (Lucky), her San Francisco home (Budget Living), and her house in Nashville (domino).

First up, the white antique bed (above) found at a flea market was first used in a guest room in her Chicago apartment with colorful pillows made from printed scarves (bottom image). In San Francisco it became Goodman’s boyfriend’s daughter's little-girl bed, updated with pink and coral toile pillows (top left). The red rattan chair in the Chicago space was also re-used in the San Francisco home (top right).

The images above showcase several repositioned items: in San Francisco, a drawing done by Goodman’s boyfriend’s daughter was showcased horizontally on the living room mantle (bottom image); in Nashville, it was re-oriented as part of a fabulous wall display in the master bedroom (top left). The Syroco* flowers, painted white and hung against a pink wall in Chicago (top right), were given a yellow makeover and added to the Nashville wall hanging (can you see them at the far left?). Finally, a pair of Bertoia chairs are shown in the SF living room and Nashville bedroom—not sure if they’re the same set with a new coat of paint, but let’s imagine they are!

• Thanks to Nicole from Making it Lovely for the info on Syroco: read her post here. I had seen these around but never knew they had a “real” name!

I love this black and white cabinet, styled two different ways: Bold (with a red mid-century chair and graphic artwork, top left); and Traditional (with a toile print sofa, candle wall sconces and symmetrical photographs, bottom photo).

These spaces have always inspired me to move things around and try pieces in different combinations and with different accessories. I think the key to achieving “mobile” style like Goodman’s is to buy only things you love (easier said than done)—that way things always look good no matter where they go!

Chicago spaces photographed by Deborah Jaffe for Lucky.

San Francisco spaces photographed by Deborah Jaffe for Budget Living.

Nashville spaces photographed by Melanie Acevedo for domino.

Christopher de Beer from The Empire Collective blog, left a comment on my Laura Bezant post... and (you know the drill), I immediately went to check out his blog. I was sold when I read the tagline: "A Collection of All Things Design." I mean, OB's tagline is "All Things Paper." so how could I not love that?

Well, I've already added Christopher's blog to my list of favorites - and browsing through his recent posts, I found a bit about GOOD Magazine... I'm a bit shocked that this is the first I've heard about this publication. They have yet another great tagline... it's the magazine for "people who give a damn":

While so much of today's media is taking up our space, dumbing us down, and impeding our productivity, GOOD exists to add value.

And when you subscribe, 100% of your $$$ goes to your choice of one of 12 charities, including Unicef, Room to Read & Teach for America.

This post on MoCoLoco today about jewelry designer, Laura Bezant stopped me dead in my tracks...

I mean, come on... meticulously-crafted jewelry featuring graffiti-like text, laser-cut out of leather and then there's a gorgeous silver butterfly to finish it off!? Beautiful. I love it. I want three...

Oh, and the best part is - check out the Bespoke section of Laura Bezant's site - you can actually send her a poem or lyric or wedding vows and she can work with you to create a piece especially for you. Brilliant.

images c/o Laura Bezant.

In February of 2006, Megan of Silhouette Blue contacted me to answer some questions about the greeting card industry for her senior project at Loyola University...

And now - not even a year and a half later - she's got her own company!!! So impressive!... (I can only hope that maybe some of the answers I gave to her questionnaire helped out a little! ;)

Laura already posted on SB's adorable silhouette card line, which is only appropriate since we've gotten a bit silhouette-happy over here at the SCOOP... but I'm loving Megan's invite work, as well. Pictured above is a super clean-yet-elegant wedding invite and these great baby business cards! I think these are genius for just handing out to friends & co-workers, but you could also stash them in a little colored envelope w/ a picture of your little one - and your announcements are complete! (and cute!) -

congrats, Megan... and keep up the good work!

images c/o Silhouette Blue.

Last week in response to our silhouette posts (here and here), reader Megan Nutley let us know about her stationery company, Silhouette Blue, which includes a greeting card line featuring 30 different silhouette designs. Silhouette Blue began as Megan’s senior art project at Loyola Chicago just last year. Congratulations to Megan on turning your ideas into a business!

Many great illustrations and occasions are available; check them all out here. The variety and prices are great—you can make your own boxed set of 8 cards of your choosing for only $11 (each card is $3.00 on its own).

Thanks again Megan for sharing your venture with us. Images from Silhouette Blue.

I've already alluded to some major changes on the horizon for OrangeBeautiful... and with that comes some major re-organization: both mental and physically.

The OB Studio (which currently looks something like this) is reasonably organized, but it could be MUCH better.

But most importantly, I'm excited about properly hanging some artwork in the space, so that I can showcase the work that I'm extrememly proud to own.

These panel paintings by, you guessed it!, Dolan Geiman will probably be the first to go up... now I just have to find an appropriate place. Hmmm....

above images by me; studio pic by Jw.

Browsing West Elm's new items for fall, I was impressed by these elegant offerings. Above, probably my favorite new item, the brass rope candleholders: the tall pillars (in brass finish) and that cute little wall sconce (available in silver finish only) are on my list. I just wish they had 2 versions of the wall sconce, one with the rope going in one direction and another "mirror image" of the other so they would look symmetrical on either side of a mirror or painting. But I also think one looks cute on its own as shown in the photo.

Below, the white circle cutout armchair would make a nice accent chair in a hallway or used as a desk chair in a living area. I could also see a pair at each end of a dining table (even with different chairs lining the sides). With the circles and gently curved armrests, I like this softer, more feminine take on what has become West Elm's signature overlapping squares chair.

Finally, I really could not believe this marble top table was West Elm; it feels so light and airy, a departure from the company's chunkier, funkier furnishings. I like the inclusion of these sophisticated pieces and hope to more as the season progresses!

Images from West Elm.

About 99% of my weekday mornings involve picking up a coffee (and sometimes an almond croissant or cranberry muffin) at Perfect Cup, just blocks from my apartment.

From our daily visits, Jw and I have been lucky enough to meet a very talented artist by the name of G.L. Smothers... he currently has several pieces displayed at Perfect Cup - including the two pictured here - that are, according to the artist, a bit of a departure from his usual style.

Needless to say, I'm quite fond of these new pieces... so much so, that Jw and I have purchased the piece at the very top of this post to add to our collection!

If you'd like to see more of G.L. Smother's work (and see it in person), come by the Perfect Cup soon, because these pieces are only up for a little while longer.

images c/o G.L. Smothers... for more information, feel free to contact me at emily (at) orangebeautiful (dot) com, and I'll put you in touch with the artist!

I love when fellow bloggers comment on our posts 1) because I like to hear their feedback, and 2) because then I can go check out their blog!

Olive from simply olive found us through the d*s sneak peek and was kind enough to post a comment on my follow-up post...

Her blog is full of yummy knitting & crocheting posts (I particularly love the inspirational crochet one), as well as write-ups about art, travel & fashion... check it out!

images via simply olive.

I really didn't think I would get such a tremendous response from everyone about my little 'ol apartment... I mean, don't get me wrong - I think it's great - but it's always weird to see the place that you're so used to living in through other people's eyes.

Since I've already gotten numerous questions about what things are and/or where they came from, I figured I'd put up a follow-up post to cover some of the ins & outs of my d*s sneak peak... (thanks again to grace!) -->

1) the built-in project

2) a hand-blown glass vase I bought at an antique shop in Mt. Vernon, OH (near my alma mater)... it's so beautiful and tall and orange - I just love it!

3) this is a little coil-style "pot" (materials: twine, acrylic cording, ceramic buttons & ribbon) that I made in my fabric & textiles class, senior year of high school... the same class that introduced me to bookbinding!

4) a gel medium/pen&ink piece that I did nearly 15 years ago, when I was a freshman in high school (holy crap) - it was titled "Andrew Meets Oz" - "Andrew" because of Hurricane Andrew and "Oz"... well, you know.

5) two of my russell+hazel Mini Binders... available here.

6) the cats: Pablo (floor) & Solomon (window)

7) the window treatments!

8) our PÖANG chairs...

9) the wall shelves/storage units are called TRONES. Yes, they're from IKEA and yes, they're supposed to hold shoes...

the wall-mounted collator is another r+h find.

and you might notice some Dolan Geiman panel paintings on one of the shelves there...

10) by far, the most popular question has been about the desk: it's these sawhorse legs from IKEA w/ a hollow-core door on top (30 bucks @ HomeDepot)...

11) doncha just love FLOR?

12) a limited edition letterpress print from elum.

13) a mixed media piece of mine from college...

14) the art wall!

15) a zillion people have asked me about the couch... and, most specifically, about its fabric. Well, sadly, it's a discontinued item from (you guessed it!) IKEA. It's called the NIKKALA (in case you wanted to hunt for one on eBay. ;)

images by Jw.

Photo by Mikkel Vang from domino, March 2006.

Anybody else remember these gorgeous floral arrangement shots from domino? They are assembled right now into a great little slideshow that should provide LOTS of diy-inspiration. The image above is a favorite because the simple flowering branches create a lovely texture alongside the golden wall panel. And what a great pink vase!

Speaking of vases, the vintage-looking vase and surrounding objects make a pretty vignette with those feminine pink blooms, below.

Photo by Deborah Jaffe from domino, April 2006.

Finally, I love the combination of baby pink roses in a sterling vessel--and chartreuse orchids in a milky white vase--in the image below, almost as much as the fretwork on the desk they're sitting on (in interior designer Mary MacDonald's office!).

Photo by Melanie Acevedo from domino, January 2006.

TootsiePop Tote by LoungeFly, $40.00 at fredflare.com.

Okay, so I'm not really "rethinking" anything here... but I have been a bit obsessed with silhouettes in the past few months.

It all started earlier this year with a wedding client who requested images to go along with the menu options (beef, fish & vegetarian) listed on her response cards. So I put together the above cow and fish, along with a bundle of carrots... you can see the end result below:

And then another custom client, a few months later, had this excellent idea to incorporate silhouettes of herself and her fiancé from when they were kids (they've known each other since they were little)... She already had the perfect silhouette of herself - cut out of black paper - and she got the original from her mom. She scanned it in and I hired Laura to digitally recreate it...

As for the fiancé's silhouette... well, we didn't have an original to go off, so the bride sent me a photo of him from his childhood and Laura (genius that she is) had to illustrate the silhouette from the photograph.

I think they turned out GREAT!... I can't wait to show off the finished product!!!

images c/o OrangeBeautiful.

The large-scale silhouette artwork in this room, designed by Sheila Bridges, brings a contemporary touch to a room rooted in traditionalism. (If anyone remembers this feature of Bridges' Harlem home--I think it was in Elle Decor a couple years ago--and still has the issue, please let me know the artwork source!) The piece reminds me of the silhouette work of artist Nathan Abels (read my previous post on Abels here). Shown below are two more of his modern silhouettes; his integration of pattern gives added contrast to the outlined forms.

Untitled by Nathan Abels, acrylic and enamel on panel. Image from Nathan Abels.

Untitled by Nathan Abels, acrylic and enamel on panel. Image from Nathan Abels.

Another way to re-think the traditional silhouette form is to depict subjects other than people. In the April 2007 issue of domino, designer Tom Scheerer created this bar area set up against a wall. Anchoring the vignette is a set of reversed-out pear portraits; the two used together give added graphic impact to the wall. Pictured below Scheerer's design is another favorite pair of "non-people" silhouettes--sketches of vessels by designer Josef Hoffman, which I have posted before. (Read more about these prints here.)

Pear 1 and Pear 2 artwork by Mary Margaret Briggs, available at artaissance.com. Image from domino.

Images from Pomegranate.

I was honored when I was contacted by grace (from a little blog called design*sponge - maybe you've heard of it) asking me if I'd like to be a part of her Sneak Peek series. Click here for the full "peek".

Even though I still feel like my place is not "complete" (whatever that means), I love showing it off... mostly, because it makes me feel like I should work on it more often. I mean, I do still have those pesky window treatments to finish...

logo/screenshot c/o design*sponge; photo by me.

You must check out the photos of this bedroom, newly completed by Australian interior designer, shop owner and blogger, Anna Spiro. (Her blog, Absolutely Beautiful Things, is listed under my "Favorites" at left.) A great color palette, lovely fabrics and unique accessories abound! Check out the photos here.

Image from Absolutely Beautiful Things.

I like the idea of “accessorizing” a lamp with a new finial. These, from lampfinials.com, are all inexpensive but impactful. This is one of those sites you could really browse for a long time, and the variety is so great that there probably is “something for everyone”. The pink geode is my favorite…I have loved geodes since I was little. (The site also has a lovely one pictured on the categories page that doesn’t seem to be available now, but I will keep my eyes open for it.) Lamps tend to be very symmetrical and sculptured, and the irregularity of the geode would give a lamp a more organic quality.

The brass medallion could give vintage-y impact to a very modern lamp, and the Venetian glass finial could add pedigree to a simple shaped lamp…especially with a black shade. But what really struck me were these crazy busts:

Shown left to right, Alexandros, Perimeni, and Diogene. If you wanted to inject a little sense of humor into your decorating, this would be one way to go!

Finally, I couldn’t resist this Cloisonné snail, imagining it topping off a modern white lamp in a nursery or children’s room!

Images from lampfinials.com.

So, they've got some beautiful new stuff over at Elsewares... including these delectable trays from French design geniuses, ibride. I can't even imagine putting food on these beautiful pieces. I would much rather hang them on the wall and admire them sans crumbs.

The ibride website is quite stunning, as well... it's a bit Flash-heavy, but it's certainly elegant and eye-catching. And the work that the site is presenting is quirky and bold. The cloud shelves above jumped out at me right away... (I'm a sucker for design that use lightning, clouds & rain, for some reason ;)

images c/o Elsewares and ibride.

I've been a longtime fan of the textile design company dwell... I remember a few years back when their designs were entirely solids, stripes & geometrics. I loved the bold color combinations and the use of color-on-white - but today, I'm excited to see some softer additions to their pattern collection.

Some of my favorites are the Camellia, Chinoiserie, Lily and Essex patterns (pictured above: clockwise from top left).

Chinoiserie duvet set & the Silhouette duvet set in Chinois Green.

images c/o dwell.

Just recently, my favorite paper manufacturer, French Paper Co. launched several new paper lines, including the delicious Pop Tone line.

Last week, I finished up this stationery order for one Mrs. Amy Lenahan (see a post about her right here) - given her love for bold hues and unique color combinations, this new line was just perfect for her cards.

We went with Lemon Drop, Sour Apple, and Blu Raspberry for the cards - and then Orange Fizz, Jelly Bean Green and Razzleberry for the envelopes... and "lenahan" was printed on 1/2 of the cards in white ink, while the other 1/2 was printed in a dark brown... the ink/card/envelope combinations are endless!

I always save articles and images from my favorite publications, and it’s fun to go through some of the older ones every once in awhile. The apartment of Hillary Blumberg and Alex Ginsburg, featured in Martha Stewart Living (unfortunately I no longer have the issue date, but I estimate the article is about 4-5 years old), had a profound impact on my personal decorating style. Their selectively chosen modern furnishings look so beautiful within the architectural setting of the prewar apartment. The textures and colors used throughout the apartment work together to convey a sense of warmth and luxury.

Blumberg, a product designer, has directed the design of the Everyday (Kmart) and Home Furnishings divisions of MSLO. Her latest project included design development for Martha’s new housewares collection at Macy’s. I don’t know how much influence she personally had on the line, but many of the products look like they could belong in her apartment!

Interiors photographs by Francois Dischinger for Martha Stewart Living. Product photos from Macys.

This coming October, OrangeBeautiful will celebrate its 3rd birthday... In that time, there have been a lot of ups & downs, money made, (a lot more) money spent and a great deal learned about where the business should go and what I need to do to help it get there.

Recently, I've been looking more and more into the practical growth of the company. At some point, I will have to hire my first employee (which I'm making the moves toward doing in just a few weeks!) - and start acknowledging that I can't do all of this work by myself.

Last week, Jw and I went to Borders to browse the Small Business & Entrepreneurship section, and (luckily) came upon a beautiful book called Small Giants by Bo Burlingham.

here's an excerpt:

• "It’s a widely accepted axiom of business that great companies grow their revenues and profits year after year. Yet quietly, under the radar, some entrepreneurs have rejected the pressure of endless growth to focus on more satisfying business goals. Goals like being great at what they do . . . creating a great place to work . . . providing great customer service . . . making great contributions to their communities . . . and finding great ways to lead their lives."

Burlingham features 14 different companies (including Anchor Brewing of San Francisco, CA, CLIF Bar & Co. of Berkley, CA, and Righteous Babe Records (Ani DiFranco's label) in Buffalo, NY, among others...) - all of which, at some point, came to a crossroads with their business where they could have decided to go big, but instead made a conscious decision to focus on their work, their employees & their dream.

I'm only about 2 chapters in at the moment, but this book has already given me that much-needed kick in the butt during this time of growth & serious decision-making for my business. If you are someone who owns their own small business (or has dreams of doing just that), I highly recommend getting your hands on this book...

images c/o Small Giants.

I know I still haven't posted more pics of Nora & David's invitations package (here's the rsvp card, at least ;) - but I just had to post this thank you note from Nora that I got in the mail yesterday...

Call it conceited, but I absolutely love it when people send me a card that I designed just for them!  ;)

Thanks, Nora... and congratulations!!!

Loeffler Randall creates some of the most beautiful, and subtly unusual, shoes and accessories I've ever seen. When I came across their 2007 debut line of clothing, I was not surprised to see many of the same hallmarks: a classic palette of mostly cream, taupe, black and metallic (with shots of pattern and bold color mixed in), sculptural shapes, standout detailing. You can see the entire line here. Clockwise from main image: Butterfly coat in taupe wool. Flutter coat in cream canvas. Butterfly dress in black wool gauze. Bell dress in taupe wool. Images from Loeffler Randall.

Of course, I could not resist naming my favorite LR shoes from the 2007 collection...Left to right: Matilde boot in taupe patent. Mum flat in black silk faille. Addy flat in nude satin. Images from Loeffler Randall.

You'll just have to click here to find out.

Thank you, Nick Olsen!

If you don't yet check Nick's posts for domino magazine's Daily Dose blog, I highly recommend you start. Called "The Deal Hunter", Nick--who happens to be assistant to Miles Redd--knows good design when he sees it, and loves to find luxury at an enviable low price, then graciously shares his sources with all of us.

Online fabric shop Buy Fabrics is Nick's latest shared find. There, I located the perfect inexpensive fabric for some 24-square inch pillows I want to have made for our family room sofa (above, Keywest Chocolate/White, $8.95/yard). Looks very similar to the (much more expensive) "Madison" pattern by Lulu DK...

Image from Buy Fabrics.

After Jane posted a comment about a Sudtipos font that she's been coveting... well, I went and checked it out and it's gorgeous -

So, I caved and bought Sudestada, too.

Thanks for the tip, Jane!... (and for making me spend more $$$ ;)

image c/o Sudtipos.

Can't get enough of the image above--which also appears on the cover of the latest Brocade Home catalog I received in yesterday's mail. The mix of Victorian-inspired furnishings paired with a modern-hued wall installation of Sarah Cihat's Rehabilitated Dishware looks so fantastic!

For anyone unfamiliar with Sarah Cihat's work, her process is based on the idea of recycling and re-working old materials to create something new. In this way, her dishware makes a great pairing with the Brocade Home items, which are based on traditional forms but streamlined for today's tastes (case in point: probably my favorite Brocade piece, the silhouette console table).

My favorite Sarah Cihat pieces are those that truly marry the characteristics of the old dish with the newly glazed form. In this example, the sweet floral pattern is showcased within the "frame" of a somewhat sinister spider--a juxtaposition I simply love.

Images from Brocade Home and Sarah Cihat.

I've been coveting the Burgues typeface on Veer for months now - and last week, I finally broke down and bought it for OrangeBeautiful...

Good script fonts seem to be the hardest to come across, in my experience... I mean, I love a good Bickham Script, but after you use it for X amount of custom wedding jobs, it starts to feel commonplace...

Burgues Script (designed by Ale Paul of Argentinian font foundry Sudtipos) is a great new script to add to my collection... the biggest bonus being the OpenType alternative characters: there are a variety of beginnings & enders +plus super-swashy caps alternates. It's just PERFECT for that super-elegant wedding invite!

For $99.00, you too, can download Burgues Script, right here.

images are from the Burgues Script User Guide (beware, this a 16-page PDF)

Last night, I was fortunate enough to have a night out with one of the most excellent people I know: my friend, B.

We went to Sola, which is at 3868 N. Lincoln... walkable from my studio on Irving Park. This place never disappoints. I've now been there for brunch, lunch and dinner (multiple times) - and it's always amazingly delicious.

Chef/Owner Carol Wallack has done something terribly right with this restaurant. Whenever I go there I feel like I'm eating the most elegant food, being served by the most professional staff & sitting in the most beautiful room... even the lighting makes me feel like I'm in some surreal dream. And if you think I'm exaggerating, just go there yourself and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Oh, and the Baked Haleakala is AWESOME.

left image & logo c/o Sola; top right image c/o Citysearch Chicago.

Images from Target pressroom.

There’s been a lot of buzz lately about Target and the crop of great designers debuting collections there through the end of the year…the latest designer news is that the fanciful Erin Fetherston will begin selling her line for Target starting in November.

Fetherston’s clothes have a fairy-tale quality about them that I love. Her designs exude whimsy, and are usually rendered in flowing, luxe fabrics that give added dimension to a minidress or Peter Pan collar. Her Target collection is, for the most part, more casual and has a very young-girl vibe, but several pieces are more wearable for the over 18 set, including items from the looks shown above. (You can view the entire collection here.)

Erin Fetherston with Zooey Deschanel at her Fall 2007 ready-to-wear show, photographed by Marcio Madeira. Image from style.com.

Next up: on July 15, both the Libertine and Devi Kroell collections are scheduled to hit stores, followed by the much-anticipated Temperley line on September 15. (You can see my Libertine- and Temperley-for Target picks here.)

No, not really... but I'm going to give it a shot. This isn't some major business decision where now, all of a sudden, I'm going to stop making cards & start a jewelry design company. This is just a side thing on my Etsy shop that I hope to have a little fun with...

So, I made these little orange circle earrings before we left for Spain... they're not too elaborate, but I was seriously thinking about keeping them for myself for a while there.

Let me know what you think - and if you think I should just stick to making cards ;)

image by me.

Brookline, Mass-based book artist, Angela Liguori has a new blog!

She started posts a few weeks ago - and well, I'm just a sucker for seeing book & paper stuff... I can't wait to see more!!!

P.S. Angela's main site is already linked in my Favorites list (to the right --->) and you should definitely check out her site - there's some EXCEPTIONAL stuff on there... and if you're looking for her blog on angelaliguori.com, just click "edizioni" on the top right!

image c/o Angela Liguori.

YEAH!... OB's letterpress card line was TimeOut Chicago Magazine's Critics' Pick for the Jun 21-27 Issue (No. 121) -

I'm a sucker for a good write-up, and this one is especially good. I love the description that my cards have a "midcentury-modern" feel. Perfect.

images c/o TimeOut Chicago.

Found these sophisticated wrapping papers today at Paper Mojo. I have four 12-inch square canvases that I painted awhile ago, that hang in a vertical row in my living room. I am thinking of temporarily recovering them in four patterned papers, just to see if I like the effect. If I don’t, I can just wrap up some gifts instead!

Clockwise from top left: Snow and Graham “Eucalyptus” ($2.75/sheet); Reminiscence Papers “Geo White” ($3.00/sheet); shiny reptile embossed white ($4.00/sheet); and Wooster & Prince Paper “Gingko Leaf” ($2.50/sheet).

Images from Paper Mojo.

In a previous BCN post, I introduced Bastardino, our loveable Tokidoki toy, who traveled with us in Barcelona...

Jw has posted a photolog of Bastardino's trip here... check it out!

images c/o either me or him... I'm not sure who took which.

If you're a DailyCandy Chicago subscriber, like me - then you may have already seen today's 'candy' about Urban Shop Guide...

USG is a Chicago-based business specializing in shopping tours around the city. It's pretty genius... I mean, I've lived here for 7 years, and I'm seriously thinking about signing up for one of these tours the next time Laura is in town (!) - I just know that there are some hidden gems out there that I've never come across...

The concept is great because it's very much along the lines of the NFT (Not For Tourists) guides, where you're not being told where all the tourists shop (i.e. Michigan Avenue) - instead you're being told where actual (trendy) local Chicagoans shop... places they adore, businesses they respect, shops they visit personally & feel lucky to live near.

Genius.

(oh, and I got a kick out of their Personal Shoppers page... for a minute there, I thought Jennifer Aniston might be taking me to Habit!)

images c/o Urban Shop Guide.

Must be that post-holiday syndrome: I'm swamped today too. But, I wanted to share this stationery company, Apiary Design, whose work I noted because of their interesting use of thermography (or glossy, raised ink) in their printing process. Thermography is often viewed as a cheaper alternative to engraving (though the effects of the two processes look nothing alike), but here it is used in the cards' "vintage wallpaper" patterned backgrounds to create texture, so the pattern "pops" off the page.

Apiary creates invitations, announcements, and stationery, and also does custom work. I like their attention to detail--as seen in the invitation/envelope package in the image above. Envelopes are so important! They give guests a first impression of what's to come.

From the Online Shop, I really like these new "Geo" blank notecards in yellow and gray...subtle and chic ($13 for set of 10). Actually, I think I love all of the "Hodgepodge" notecard sets. Not sure how to choose...

Images from Apiary Design.

So, I feel like I haven't posted nearly enough about the Gocco and all it's glory... Although I have posted about

• S&C's baby shower invites

• Laura W.'s birthday party invitations

• my OrangeBeautiful promo cards, here and here

• OB's NEXT BIG THING submission to fredflare

• Kristine & Mike's wedding invitations (at the end of the post)

• the invites to April's birthday at Bin36, AND

• Toby's birth announcements!

...all printed (with love) on my B6 Gocco printer...

Now, for about 2 years, the fate of the Gocco in the States has been up in the air... RISO - the company that invented the printer & all its components and counterparts - discontinued its distribution of the Gocco in the U.S. and stopped manufacturing some of the machines altogether (like my precious B6). Despite the abundance of supplies available for those who already own a Print Gocco machine (I was told by a representative at RISO that they didn't anticipate screen, bulbs & inks to "run out" for at least a year), many crafters have been waiting to hear that someone would begin new distribution of the printers in the States.

Only a few weeks ago, Chicago-based retail paper chain, Paper Source updated their website to include pre-order information for the PG6 (large-format) Gocco and its supplies. And despite the hefty price tag, I've ordered one for the company... trust me, it'll be worth every penny. You can order one here, but if you're new to Gocco, I would suggest trying to get your hands on the smaller one first... it may take a little effort (& possibly some bidding on eBay - but I have a feeling the larger version is a bit tricky if you've never used a Gocco before.

on eBay, search for either "Gocco B6", or "Gocco PG".

And, of course, feel free to contact me (or leave a comment) if you have any Gocco questions - I'm happy to help.

Also, savegocco.com is an excellent site for all things Gocco.

image c/o Paper Source.

It's been a busy, busy week for OrangeBeautiful - (I even worked a full day yesterday!) - and next week isn't looking any less crazy...

For now, here's just a short post w/ 2 pics from Park Guell in Barcelona... I just love the mosaics spread throughout the entire park.

And if you'd like more Barcelona pics, check out Jw's first photolog.

images by me.

After Emily’s posts on “Really Good” business cards (here and here), I knew I had one to showcase. A few weeks ago I profiled an open house at Chartreuse, a design studio in Lakewood, Ohio. In addition to a complete studio renovation, the studio’s business cards underwent a redesign of their own.

The card comes encased in a slightly-iridescent “jacket” printed with the studio’s Francophile tagline—“Classique. Moderne. Elegant”—and a signature flourish die-cut holding the package closed.

Open it, and you are greeted first with the message, “Such a pleasure to meet you”, followed by a brief introduction to the studio’s approach and services.

Two additional flourish die-cuts encase the personal business card, which when removed, reveals the jacket’s final message—“Au revoir!”. The personal business card itself is printed on high-gloss white stock with debossed flourishes that mimic the studio’s white metal-tile ceiling.

The reverse side of the card again showcases the flourish, but on the flip side it appears embossed as it frames the designer’s information.

This is such a unique approach to a business card...as a paper person and designer, I especially enjoy the messaging experience created by the interplay of jacket and card. Additionally, all the details—from the papers themselves to the knockout printing to the die-cuts and the deboss/emboss effects—are subtle in usage. This has to be one of my favorite cards ever.

Thanks to Chartreuse for allowing me to share! (Images by me.)

I was fortunate enough to have a meeting with Chandra at GREER yesterday afternoon... It was truly delightful to finally meet her in person - and I love any excuse to visit her amazing shop!

GREER Civilettes™: for spontaneous appreciation™, $6/pk of 10, available at GREER Chicago.

There's a new product that Chandra released recently call Civilettes, which are tiny thank you notes that are meant to be carried around with you and given out when you're feeling especially appreciative of another person.

As a huge supporter of just being nice to other people, I absolutely LOVE this concept. The urge to be gracious and appreciative is something that I fear flew out the window for most people a long time ago... and anyone who is making an attempt to, in Chandra's words, "inject a little more kindness, appreciation and respect into this world"... well, I've got their back.

I actually printed up my own "spontaneous appreciation" cards last fall when I wanted to start up a "thank you" project for OrangeBeautiful... essentially, it's the same idea as the Civilettes™ :: carry these around, hand them out to someone who does something nice for you (or maybe you just witness them doing something nice for someone else) - and hope that they reuse the card to thank another.

pay it forward, baby... you gotta love that.

• and THANK YOU to all you lovely ladies at GREER for being so awesome and gracious with your time... it is definitely appreciated!

top image c/o GREER Chicago; bottom images by me.

It's the moment you've all been waiting for... (okay, maybe just the moment that L and EFF have been waiting for) -

the CAMPER shoes I bought in Barcelona!:

I think we counted 5 CAMPER stores in Barcelona... and, I'll be the first to admit how crazy it is that we visitied all five of them. Each store is laid out and designed in a completely different way, so it wasn't just about visiting all the lovely pairs of shoes that I was coveting.

Now, the fact that I settled on this particular pair is a bit interesting to me, since I do not, I repeat... DO NOT... wear heels. I don't know why, but I'm just not a heels kind of person. I would wear my red Pumas every day if it weren't for the fact that they look a bit unprofessional at times. But now I have these beauties...

I was debating about getting these, but then the whole Twins concept that Camper has going is so enticing... the fact that the left and right shoe of the heels are so different sealed the deal. And I love that these look like someone got bored and drew, w/ a ballpoint pen, on a pair of white leather pumps.

first & 3rd images by Jw; 2nd image c/o designws.com; last image c/o CAMPER.

These fancy flapper girls are actually vintage thimbles that I found in a shop awhile ago. I bought the set (only $5!) because they reminded me of the different styles that "Emily" (in orange) and "I" (in blue) represent that are still complementary! Isn't it fun to come across something that once belonged to somebody else that also has personal meaning to you?

(view the whole door here.)

As I mentioned earlier, I took multiple posts worth of the beautiful doors all over Barcelona... Most of these doors were grand in scale, as well as immaculately constructed - something that we have far too little of in the public spaces here in the States. The shapes and lines that I saw in these "common" doorways were like nothing I'd ever seen before - at least not in real life.

There were days when we'd just be walking around and I felt like we stopped every 10 feet at the foot of yet another amazing doorway... storefronts, apartment buildings, offices - pretty much every entrance had something beautiful and unique about it. It was hard to tell if I was impressed simply due to the fact that these aren't commonplace structures in my everyday surroundings, or if they are in fact, insanely unique, and perhaps everyone - even native Spaniards - are struck by their presence.

I have many more door photos besides the ones shown here, so I may do another BCN door post in the future... I also have plans for a framed piece using several of these images together - so, I'll certainly post about that once it's completed!

all photos by this girl.