looking lovely: Dane Lovett

Loving these paintings by Dane Lovett and the interesting way they are installed.

via Dear Ada

style snapshot: Super Long Necklaces

bird of paradise and precious ribbon necklaces by Anthropologie

I recently had one of those "a-ha" moments. I figured out that in order for a necklace to be truly slimming, it has to be very long. Specifically; it has to fall below the bust. For me anyway. If it falls smack dab in the middle of my chest, it just draws attention to the widest point of my body. So, in order to avoid that, I've decided that a necklace must either stop right around my collar bone, or else fall almost all the way to my waist. Luckily, I think super long necklaces look super chic. And they look great on almost anyone. Even some guys could pull it off.

Falling Whistles necklace (to benefit war-affected children in Congo). Image via Refinery 29

our little life: Spring Fever

This is a bleak time of year in Heber. The snow is mostly melted, leaving dead grass and dirt in its wake. Green buds and sprouts haven't yet taken hold.

What I'd give to be lying on a warm beach...

Friday Favorites

a few current favorites ///// going on walks after lunch ///// honey braided pretzel twists ///// a beautifully restored farmhouse in New Hampshire ///// a lightweight floor-length dress -- perfect to wear all summer ///// my mom's corn chowder ///// Marilyn Monroe singing I Wanna Be Loved By You
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I just found out that this card just got into the AIGA 100 show in Salt Lake City. Great job, Amy & Kristin!

the sycamore q+a {no. 55 }: The Regional Assembly of Text

The Regional Assembly of Text was the first shop in Canada to carry Sycamore Street Press goods, so it was only natural that we wanted to visit them while in Vancouver last December. What we found was a charming place full of stationery, zines, art, and more. Brandy and Rebecca design the majority of the items in the shop themselves, but they also carry the goods of some other small, quirky companies.


1) How did you become shop owners?

We both graduated from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in 2003, mostly focusing on printmaking and sculpture. In 2005, after having worked for other people for as long as we could bear, we decided to put our minds and hands to work and open The Regional Assembly of Text. Our store features products ranging from greeting cards to t-shirts, designed and built by us.


2) Tell us about one of your favorite items in The Regional Assembly Of Text.

We both love our address boxes, which are both practical and beautiful.


3) What is your favorite part about your job?

Being our own bosses is pretty great. Along with getting to be creative each and every day. Rebecca is also a big fan of organizing and tidying our studio on a daily basis, and Brandy quite enjoys writing lists.


4) Is there anything else we should know about you?

Neither of us likes cantaloupe, even in the least.


Thanks Brandy & Rebecca!

If you're in or around Vancouver, visit their shop:
The Regional Assembly of Text / 3934 Main Street / Vancouver BC / V5V 3P2 / 604 877 2247

If not, they have a lovely website, as well: www.assemblyoftext.com

All images by me except for address box image by The Regional Assembly of Text.

looking lovely: Ebony Bizys

So, it turns out that the author of Hello Sandwich is also a senior designer for Vogue Living Australia and an accomplished artist to boot. I adore this installation she did at the Kudos Gallery in Sydney as part of her Kawaii Pop exhibition.

via The Design Files

looking lovely: Hello Sandwich

I'm loving this new-to-me blog, Hello Sandwich (via {frolic!}). Japan is next on my traveling abroad wish list, and this blog is the next best thing to actually being in the land of kawaii!

sycamore street press: Alphabet & Numbers are back!

Our Alphabet & Numbers posters, designed by the lovely Stephanie Ford, are finally back in the shop in 3 new colorways: apple & marigold, tangerine & aqua, and cobalt & graphite. (There are also just a few left in watermelon & rose, too...)

I love the new colors, and am so excited to have these babies back! To celebrate, we're giving away a set of each to one lucky winner over on our facebook page. Or you could just go straight to the shop... :)

looking lovely: Underground House in Switzerland

I think I had the Shire and Bag End on my mind when I decided to do an image search for underground houses. I had no idea that I would come across something so spectacular! The interior isn't too shabby, either.

Designed by SeARCH and Christian Muller Architects. Images via Trendir.

Friday Favorites

shadow puppet by Owly Shadow Puppets

A few current favorites ///// Movies starring New York City ///// Irish oatmeal with maple syrup, cinnamon, chopped prunes, and pecans ///// Strict Joy by The Swell Season ////// The longer days ///// The space heater under my desk

our little life: Sunset Park

If you follow my Twitter feed, then you might already know that Kirk and I will be staying in New York for an entire month this spring! We'll be there to show our letterpress goods at the National Stationery Show, the Brooklyn Flea, and the Renegade Craft Fair. I think it's an understatement to say that we are getting really excited!

I just signed the agreement to lease a little studio in Sunset Park for the month. (It's costing us the same as it would have to stay in a super budget hotel for a week.) There's nothing fancy or trendy about this neighborhood, but when I asked a friend about it (who lives nearby) he said: 1) it's safe, and 2) there are lots of great taquerias around. That's all I needed to hear.


Apparently, this neighborhood grew up along the docks and was originally populated with Irish, Polish, and Norwegian immigrants. In the past few decades, the shipping industry moved to New Jersey, and Sunset Park is now home to "Brooklyn's Little Latin America" and "Brooklyn's Chinatown". I can't wait to explore.

photos by Barry Yanowitz

looking lovely: The High Line

I've been making a mental list of places I'd like to go while in New York, and the High Line is on the tip top of that list. Although I'm glad that they are turning this abandoned elevated train line into a public garden, I do wish I had been able to visit it when it was still overgrown and left alone like in these photos. Magical, right? It's like a gigantic secret rooftop garden.








And one last image of the High Line in its original state. See more photos on the High Line website and their Flickr group.

All photos except for bottom one by Joe Sternfeld. All photos via The High Line.