Hops for Humanity

I haven't been posting much on my recent work, mostly because I'm not currently in class and churning out new stuff every week! That doesn't mean I haven't been working, though. I just finished a big project for a beer festival fundraiser for the Bay Area Lutheran Volunteer Corps! Here's the image used in the email blast sent out. I also made a poster, postcard, and the logo is even going to be printed on pilsner tasting glasses!

If you are in the Bay Area, you should come to this event! What a great deal for unlimited tastings.  Check out the event webpage for more info!

You Have Everything You Need

 I was recently admiring the work of Deedee Cheriel on a blog called "My Love For You." This bear roaring a colorful stream of shapes just blows me away.

Then I saw this photo (below) of Deedee pasting this image that says "You Have Everything You Need" onto a city wall and I said "WOAH!" Isn't this quite close to the title of this little blog? Its worth revisiting why I chose this title.  One day, walking through the rather activist campus where I work, I heard someone shouting "End this consumerist lifestyle! Buy reused!" and then, the golden phrase: "Everything You REALLY Need is Already Made!"  I loved is instantly and as you know, stole it for this blog. Now, I do buy stuff and I love to shop. But also, I grew up in a family of people who value reusing and recreating something from nothing, and I often find myself drawn to up-cycled, reused, reinvented things. 

Here's what Deedee said about her posters on the blog post:
"That photo was taken at a wall downtown. The bears have always symbolized the Buddhist idea that to desire is to suffer. I think I first started painting bears when I quit smoking, and I was constantly looking for something outside myself to fill up the emptiness left by overcoming that addiction." 

Reading blogs, looking at pinterest, and just being in the world often leaves me wanting; new clothes, pretty things, etc., but its worth revisiting this buddhist idea, and being reminded that things are just things and not who we are or what really gives us fulfillment. Its a bit different idea than "Everything we need is already made," but its in the same family of ideas, and definitely something to ponder.

Anthropologie Inspiration

In addition to the beautiful clothes, Anthropologie has the most wonderful store/window art. Here's what they had when I was there a few weeks back.

Cardboard tube art.  LOVE IT.Would have to think about how to attach to the wall...

Awesome ball of corks and succulents.We oohed and aahed over these for about 20 minutes while our friend waited in the check-out line

 

My  friend and I got up close and personal to see how they did it: chicken wire around plastic (so the ball is light), and we figured you could just hot glue the corks on. The succulents are in plastic pots nestled into the plastic. It would take years for me to save this many corks; it would be fun to make a mini version, though! Or, I could always hit up the Easty Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, which probably has a HUGE bin of corks. I just realized I have never blogged about that place...will have to do that soon!

Backyard Party: People Photos

At our backyard brunch party this weekend, half of the beauty of the whole event was the smiling faces. I snapped a ton of photos, and here are a few of my faves.

Too bad they have already sent out a Save the Date; wouldn't this have been perfect?!?

Luckily, we had some beautiful blooms reaching through the trellis part of the fence from our neighbor's yard!

Little ones always make a party better.

 

The couple and the hostesses!

Backyard Brunch Party

My good friends recently got engaged, and this weekend we threw them an engagement party.What a fun excuse to spiff up our backyard, sit in the sun, and drink mimosas! 

The story of the engagement itself is pretty involved, so I used that as the focal point for the invitation.  I think this typographical solution worked pretty well! 

Fresh flowers and banana bread. What else do you need?!?

We wanted to keep the party simple and not create too much waste. We made the flag bunting with construction paper and reused paper from the inside of business envelopes. A patterned sheet became the tablecloth!

The guestbook, with some signage that has the same feel as the invite. 

Tissue paper flowers added color all over the yard!

I'm lucky to have an amazing backyard, and some amazing friends! 

The Signs of Austin

I recently spent a fabulous weekend with my siblings in Austin. Austin is an artsy town, and we were loving all the cool signage, especially around the South Congress area.  I snapped a lot of photos, so when I am stuck on an idea for my next design project, I will have plenty of visual inspiration!