What's a design need that not being met?

I have a tendency to create floral or swirly designs, but what else can I do? I want to stretch my drawing skills...

I'm thinking architectural and home/everyday objects are what I might start with. I took tons of photos of architecture on my last few trips and it's what I like to photograph at a non-macro scale.

On the macro scale, I've been taking pictures of textures which I want to use as design inspiration as well.

I found a fabric similar to the one I spotted in Japan. It's by Alexander Henry called "Perfect Pattern."

Found via True UP

Kingdom of Style is one of my favorite fashion blogs. The Queens are witty and funny mixing DIY and high fashion in a fun combination.


Kingdom of Style

I think I like them so much because they aren't as crazily unviewable as most fashion sites. User Interface design is not what Fashion people excel at and they should all fire their web designers to start all over again.

I really believe that fashion sites are why the technorati are all up in arms about all flash sites (that and all the accessibility issues - that aren't really a problem if you do it right).

Not sure why I have posted these links before but here are a few of the sites created by my fellow Los Angeleans:

L.A. Is My Beat - knitting, crochet and general cool LA stuff.
Miriam Dema - Prints and other Cool LA stuff
Sommer Designs - crafty business and great product photos
Paper Olive - my buddy and paper goddess.

Not really - but people's status are revealing their true politics.

If you're not into american politics skip down to the next post - if you are, keep reading.

The republican national convention is going on this week and after Palin's speech last night Facebook has gone CRAZY.

Let me just start by saying, I'm not a member of any political party. I agree most closely with the libertarians philosophy but the actual libertarians are a bunch of idiots.

I didn't support Hilary Clinton - too much baggage from when she was the First Lady and I have a problem with women who use their husband's positions to get themselves power. You want power? Go get it yourself. I feel like she set back woman's rights and standing in the human race back about 50 years. CRYING?!?!? wtf, seriously, if you want to prove yourself a strong person, don't cry in public, much less on national television.

Sarah Palin makes me ill - she is a move on the part of the republicans to get the Hilary voters, which is stupid because Palin stands for everything that Hilary supporters don't. I have a problem with her stand on abortion and a problem with her even being associated with a state separatist movement. She was nasty and mean and dishonest and lied about a lot of what the democrats stand for.

How can the republicans get up on stage and say that they want to reform the government? The government that they have controlled for almost the past 8 years. How can they get up on stage and lie? How can they trot out McCain the war hero when their last president dodged the draft by joining the reserves and NEVER SHOWING UP?

Simple - they think we are all stupid.

* I won't vote for Palin simply because she has a uterus, mamory glands, and has physical proof that she knows how to use them.
* I won't vote for the same people who have been in power for the last 8 years because I believe that the country is not in as good a shape as it was 8 years ago.
* I won't vote for McCain because HE HELPED START A WAR!
* I won't vote for McCain because his party has slowly chipped away at my rights and freedoms over the last few years using the war and terrorists as their excuse.


The democrats on the other hand have nominated someone who is more like the average american and someone who has a clear vision of how to make this country a better place.

* I will vote for Obama because he shares the beliefs I do on abortion.
* I will vote for Obama because he has campaigned honorably.
* I will vote for Obama because his vision of America is the America that I want to live in.


Frankly, if McCain wins, I will be embarrassed to be an American.

I think I know how I may have missed these people:

tinlark gallery

They are in the Cross Roads of the World center on Sunset. It's hard to see what's in there and I always assumed that it was just a small group of offices with a fancy name and decor.

Cthulhu Crochet and Cousins: Tiny Cthulhu! Free Pattern

Unfortunately, not mine but SUPER cute! Must make one for my Lovecraft loving baby bro!

My friend Mar has a new blog for her site/invitation company she's called her blog:

the paper martini

I'm so excited for her! This is one of my favorite invites:



My absolutely love her peony invite and what I would have her make for me if I was getting married and inviting people. (husband and I did a private ceremony and had NO attendees)

Remember this little doodle?




well - she made it into the computer and got traced. I'm still having some trouble with Illustrator but it doesn't make me want to pull my hair out anymore, thanks to my dear, dear, patient, sweet husband. It came out wonderfully!! I'm too excited - not really ready to share. I must review with two of my friends who are the first to see anything I come up with. They are fair and objective and love me to pieces. We all share critique on each others work and it's a great help.

Last week was a fun week! I attended Siggraph 2008 and the Pasadena Bead and Design Show.



If you do graphics on a computer, 2d, 3d, or otherwise, Siggraph is a must attend conference. I've been going off and on since 1991. My high school's advanced art teacher happened to finagle us exhibit passes when it was in Dallas (I'll let you do the research to figure out when that was :) ). It's so interesting to see all the creative technology that you know will be available for you to use in the very near future.

VR was the big thing when I went the fist time, as well as, the burgeoning computer animation scene. That's really why us high school students were there - the program at Texas A&M gave us passes, seeing if they could recruit one or two of us.

This year was really cool as well. Here are a few of my favoite things:

1) The new HP Dream color display is amazing - you have to see it in person. It lives up to the hype.

2) the art exhibit - Artist Jenny E. Sabin and the group Skorpions. I also saw some lovely window panes (pictured below) but didn't catch the artist's name.

Pictures of almost all the faves:

Skorpions


Wall inserts by unknown artist


close up of my favorite one


A lot of big companies were there, but I was surprised by some that weren't. Adobe - teh number one graphics company (thanks to their purchase of macromedia :P) didnt' attend!!

Below is the Disney/Pixar booth:


Ok - enough techno stuff - let's talk about the Pasadena Bead and Design Show!!




SHINY TIME!

I went with my lovely friend Diana, who actually happens to be a mutual friend of one my co-workers. The ONLY reason I met her is that she interviewed as a replacement for me in my previous postition (I want to go kick my old boss for not hiring her, btw - she's awesome).

Anyway - I spent WAY too much money on semi precious stones, glass, and shells for one day.

The vendors were varied with BEAUTIFUL stuff. My only disappointment was that there seemed to be so much finished jewelry and I was expecting more supplies than anything else.

You should note - I only took one picture in the entire show. It was of the last room I went in, and only took it as an after thought. That's how much fun I had - I forgot to take pictures!!!



Diana and I called it quits after a few hours when we realized we were starving and had crooked and achy necks from looking down at the tables.