beyond design

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=11986171&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

Running on Empty from Ross Ching on Vimeo.
it’s always cool to see shots of LA with no cars in them, and these are time-lapsed into video, by ross ching.

fun on the web

ball pool
[image: smashingmagazine.com]
bizarre web sites on which you can kill time with style from <a href="smashingmagazine.com is a wonderful archive of games, interactive animations and experiential sites where you can explore and have fun.

eco-friendliness

recycling bins
[photo: d’arcy norman]
if you’ve got some items that you think may be recyclable, but you’re not sure where to take them or how to do it, re-nest was nice enough to publish hard-to-recycle items and where to take them to help you figure it out!

locks in a box: i’m sending my hair to clean up the gulf oil spill from greenlagirl.com. if you’re getting your hair cut sometime soon, maybe pass the info along to your hairdresser. i’m not sure how much hair can do considering the ever-expanding spill is not even contained, but they’re going to need all the help they can get, and if it comes from something we normally throw out, i’m all for it.

diy

another from re-nest i want to share is nontoxic diy cleaning solution for swiffer wetjets which is something i’ve wondered about for awhile. perhaps i could have tried harder to get the cap off the solution bottle, because i thought i’d break it, not realizing it was glued. i also don’t want to damage the internal parts, so it’s nice to hear from people who have done it with success.

design sponge’s biz ladies: budgeting and forecasting breaks down the steps in creating your business plan, finding out what you need to make & how, and creating a budget you can use to run your business, for those who might be dragging their feet on the more businessey aspects of running a business. good info!

food

stuffed zucchini
[photo: lacucinaitalianamagazine.com]
i just picked all the fava beans, and now zucchini season has started in my garden, which means keeping the zucchini production in balance by also eating the blossoms. i have always loved using edible flowers, especially ones that are perfumed versions of their vegetable offspring. there are many ways to do stuffed zucchini blossoms, it’s usually a matter of what you like in your ricotta cheese mix. i like this recipe because it’s fairly simple, seasonal and satisfying: zucchini blossoms with vegetables from lacucinaitalianamagazine.com.

creative inspiration

infographic mailer

travel & leisure food issue 2010
[photo: underconsideration.com]
this 2010 food issue mailer from travel & leisure, profiled on underconsideration.com combines a few areas of interests in an awesome piece! i love infographics, i love food, and i love knowing what regions specialize in different foods locally, so this map of the states by food really caught my eye. beyond that, 2-color printing is close to my heart, french paper is a drool-worthy paper source, and hand lettering gives a really fun personality to the piece. follow the link to read more!

snowboarding apparel

smith snow goggles by nubby twiglet
[photo: smith optics]
i’ve been snowboarding for 10 years now, and as much as i love it, i have to say that the fashion options for anyone over 17, especially women, are consistenly sorely lacking. this week, nubby twiglet posted examples of goggles and helmets she designed for smith optics which will be available next year. i have always wanted something classy and stylish to wear instead of opting for solid colors as the only alternative to a decidedly male adolescent fashion demographic. great work!

design industry

principles of minimalist web design with examples is a great showcase of sites that eliminate the clutter and allow visitors to focus on desired information. take a spin and let it help you re-imagine the possibilities for your own site.

ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in type design? why did i start a type foundry is an interesting look at starting a foundry and getting fonts published and sold. cool!

something i’ve been writing about lately is what goes into a logo development, and it’s really outlined how you can’t really design a logo without a complete brand strategy in place. help your clients talk about their logo as part of a bigger plan with how to convince your clients they need a brand and not just a logo.

when applications crash and we get those report windows, sometimes we report bugs, sometimes we shut them in disgust. possibly, though, we’re missing some awesome opportunities for expressive prose!

creative retreat: friday

i’m on retreat this week and the studio is closed. however, i have lined up a selection of getaway-themed posts to enjoy while i’m gone. one is set to go up each day, so stay tuned…

for my friday articles, i figured i’d keep in the theme of the creative retreat and point out 3 articles that can help you plan and prepare for your own creative retreat. i think these kinds of activities are great for the development of any business, but especially for creative types, we need regular excursions to recharge our senses.

5 ways to have a successful retreat, from designsobriety.com

how to host a fun and productive staff retreat, by lisa simmons for chiff.com

plan a management retreat with lasting results, by christine corelli for CED magazine

if you haven’t planned a business retreat before, i highly suggest at least a year-end getaway to step outside your business, reflect on the past year and plan for the next.

creative retreat: thursday

i’m on retreat this week and the studio is closed. however, i have lined up a selection of getaway-themed posts to enjoy while i’m gone. one is set to go up each day, so stay tuned…

destination dining!

i’m taking my retreat in mazatlán, sinaloa in mexico, so my vacation version of a recipe round-up is a little spotlight on mexican food and mexican-inspired dishes. all of them are light, quick & easy [which is my way of saying i’m not overlooking the more authentic stuff, i just prefer to point people to things they can make at any experience level] from el restaurante mexicano, epicurious.com and mmm, me gusta, a little cooking show.

http://www.viddler.com/player/9f29f82/
my friend claudia yuskoff has been building this great little cooking show mmm, me gusta which demonstrates a new recipe with every episode. i really liked this refreshing cucumber snack, pepinos con chile y limón!

here are some more fun things to make when you want a little taste of mexico!
cucumber and chayote slaw
cactus salad
papaya and black bean salsa
cactus jack quesadilla with black bean relish
southwestern gazpacho
creme of cilantro soup
smoked fish ceviche
seafood sauté with avocado mango salsa
grilled fish tacos
caramelized chipotle chicken
carne asada
mayan hot chocolate
classic flan i’m not suggesting that flan is easy, but this is the easiest version of a recipe i’ve ever found, so for those who want it, go to town!

creative retreat: wednesday

i’m on retreat this week and the studio is closed. however, i have lined up a selection of getaway-themed posts to enjoy while i’m gone. one is set to go up each day, so stay tuned…

if you take a retreat in a sunny place, you can’t avoid a sun-protection strategy. here’s a list of sun protection products i love to use.

body care

palmer's cocoa butter sunblock and aveeno sunblock
[images: etbrowne.com and aveeno.com]
palmer’s cocoa butter formula with vitamin E spf 15
i love this lotion for day-to-day use. since i’m fair-skinned, i should be using something stronger when spending the day in the sun, but for running around town on a normal day, spf 15 is enough [if they made it any stronger, i’d be right on it]. the cocoa butter formula smells like chocolate frosting, and conditions your skin long after it washes off. a very soothing treat!

aveeno positively ageless sunblock spray with spf 50
when it’s time to get serious and cover up, aveeno has some very nice spray-on sunblocks that offer complete coverage in a waterproof formula. i used this one all last summer and avoided burning successfully.

protect your face

sun protection for the face
[images: coppertone.com and aveeno.com]
coppertone water babies sunscreen stick spf 55
if i’m spending the day at the beach or by a pool, where i may be in & out of the water a few times, i like waterproof sun protection for the face that is non-irritating. there are plenty of higher-end products for this, but i go for this baby formula sunscreen stick. sure, it’s slightly greasy, but as a person who is always dealing with oily skin, i’m pleasantly surprised that i’ve had no problems with it clogging pores or causing breakouts. pretty much every drugstore makes a generic as well.

aveeno essential moisture lip conditioner with spf 15
while i like palmer’s cocoa butter lip balm for normal non-sun days, it has no spf protection, so when i’m out in the sun, i use this lip conditioner by aveeno. it is highly conditioning with spf 15.

between sun days

mario badescu
[images: mariobadescu.com]
i am a devout convert to the mario badescu line, and while i use a lot more than this selection above, these are regular go-to items in the summer season. before or after a day in the sun, i use my favorite cleanser and follow it up with the special glycolic cleansing lotion to help clear away any dead skin cells. if it’s a normal non-beach day, i’ll apply the complex moisturizer with vitamin E spf 20, which is highly conditioning and light enough to go under makeup [if it is a beach day, i’ll use the coppertone stick above]. if we’re talking après soliel, i’ll follow up with the glycolic skin renewal complex for extra conditioning and renewal, along with the hyaluronic eye cream for extra attention to the delicate skin around the eyes.

sun accessories

sun hat by liberty of london for target
[image: target.com]
there are a number of accessories you can mix and match for maximum sun protection. i picked up this sun hat by liberty of london for target, not only to protect my face from unnecessary exposure, but also because my eyes are extra-sensitive, so if i want to get some of that beach reading done, i need more shade than my transitional lenses will provide. if you’re lucky enough to have perfect vision, a pair of sunglasses in your favorite style are a fun & useful accessory to bring. i will admit, i do have a pair of prescription sunglasses that have a nice wrap design, to keep out sunlight that likes to try to creep in from different angles. if you’re not going anywhere with a built-in palapa, pick up a beach umbrella, which can cut down uv rays by an additional 15spf. i also like to bring a wrap or cover-up for when i’m just sitting and reading or walking to & from the beach or pool, not just for the sunblock they provide, but when you’re wearing the same bathing suit every day, it’s a nice way to make different outfits from the same base materials, and a nice way to feel somewhat dressed while wearing your bathing suit.

and finally, once all this malarky is done, and these products are on for each of the conditions they require and you’ve got all your accessories packed in your beach bag, you can crack open that book or magazine and relax! ha.

creative retreat: tuesday

i’m on retreat this week and the studio is closed. however, i have lined up a selection of getaway-themed posts to enjoy while i’m gone. one is set to go up each day, so stay tuned…

what’s a retreat without refreshing drinks? whether they’re smoothies that incorporate good nutrition with amazing flavors, or alcoholic elixirs to sip by the pool, liquid tonics delight your senses and are a required addition to any retreat. all recipes are from epicurious.com

non-alcoholic delights

pineapple, arugula, macadamia nut smoothie
[photo: jenifer altman]
pineapple, arugula, macadamia nut smoothies
morning sun
liquid iron
cantaloupe aqua fresca with beet swirl
pom-ade
spiced milk tea [masala chai]
jasmine honey lassi
basil lemonade
terragon-spiked lady grey iced tea

cocktails with a twist

cucumber saketinis
[photo: jenifer altman]
cucumber sake-tinis
sangria blanca
blackberry poblano margarita
curry-spiced bloody marys
the produce stand
punch a la noix de coco
pimm’s cup
vodka rosemary lemonade fizz
michelada

beyond design

food

orange ricotta breakfast dumplings
[photo: monika kotus]
what a concept—a light, sweet, floral kind of gnocchi for breakfast: orange ricotta breakfast dumplings from designsponge.com. these aren’t exactly on my diet, but i might have to make an exception, because they look amazing!

browned fennel
[photo: la cucina italiana]
if you’re looking for something seasonal, browned fennel is a tasty springtime dish. la cucina italiana shows you how to do it italian style: spicchi brasati al burro.

drinks

strawberry liquor infusion
this weekend i bought a flat of strawberries and made the strawberry liquor infusion i linked to previously. it will be interesting to see how it tastes when i strain it out tonight.

diy

foraging in los angeles
[photo: willy blackmore]
i have been foraging brazillian pink pepper on my morning walks, but i’m always looking for more edible plants i can pick and try out. <a href="LA weekly’s blog has this great list: top 10 ways to forage in LA for identifying and using some of the wild edibles you can find around town.

more on cleaning without chemicals, i’ve been using baking soda and vinegar for all kinds of things lately. if you need some suggestions on how to use baking soda, this list from re-nest is great: baking soda: is there anything it can’t do?

business

i have been liking this design sponge biz ladies feature, which has all kinds of advice for small business owners. this week they put out a great list of required reading for any small business owner: biz ladies top 10 biz books. i’ve read a good amount of seth godin, but it’s really great to have a new list of good biz reads!

say goodbye to the cash register from inc magazine takes a look at the new transaction apps available on mobile phones, making it possible for small businesses to eliminate some of the overhead charges on taking mobile credit card transactions.

some of the changes we got with the health care bill means a lot for businesses, according to cnn money it looks like we’ll be issuing 1099s for every transaction over $600 in a calendar year [as opposed to just contract labor]. read up on the new laws: health care law’s massive hidden tax change.

creative inspiration

HOW and creative freelancer conference round-up

how cd experience
[photo: underconsideration.com]
if i haven’t mentioned it before, this year will be my first at the HOW conference, so i’m following as much preliminary info as i can. i wasn’t aware that there’s a tradition of a CD exchange, but thanks to underconsideration.com, i not only know about it, there’s a showcase of what kat feuerstein / gilah press + design did for last year: 2009 HOW design conference CD exchange sleeve. i’ve always liked silver ink on a dark stock, this one is chocolate brown!

the HOW conference closing party theme: white space. i have plenty of white to bring, now it’s just a matter of which white will it be?

if you’ve got questions about copyright or trademarks, jean s. perwin will be at this year’s CFC. thanks to the creative freelancer blog for this list of copyright resources: got copyright?

another great feature of CFC are the breakfast roundtables. here’s a list of some of the attendee-run tables you can join in on: what do you want to learn at breakfast?

event design

identity for brad radke
[image: charles ross]
thanks to designworklife.com for finding this great event suite by charles ross for the retirement party of minnesota twins player brad radke. he did a great job of capturing the best of baseball memorabilia.

logo design

frut logo sketches
[image: adam gf]
this logo development for smoothie company, frut, is an interesting look at how designers brainstorm on different shapes and ideas: logo design love: unsung heroes. i have a few pages like this myself, most of which never see the light of day. follow the link to see the final identity system, which is a super-fun burst of color.

35 smart logos with second thought to make you look twice is a nice collection of logos that work really well for the messages they convey.

typography

anatomy of type
[image: sigurdur armannsson ]
need help with your type anatomy? refer to each part of every letterform with accuracy, using this anatomy of type desktop graphic, free from font.is

silent dance
[image: camila drozd]
the work of this lovely hand-drawn type designer, camila drozd, has come up a few places in my weekly reading, and i think her work is really stunning.

plant cloning at machine project

plant clones at machine project
this weekend, i went down to machine project with a few friends for the clone home with critter salon plant cloning workshop. i took some cuttings and separated some offshoots from some of my succulents and headed down, prepared to share & trade with friends. they had a great selection of herbs, succulents and house plants to choose from, along with mixed soils for each type of plant. i took a selection of succulents i don’t currently have in my garden, and explained what my tiny specimens would grow into to others. some people made some really cool mini gardens combined in one pot.

green wall at machine project
one project they’re working on at machine is the conversion of the vent window above the display window into a small green wall. as the summer season approaches, the air conditioner [just behind this guy] runs at most events, dripping a good amount of water off the condenser. they’ve created a gutter to collect this water to feed the succulents that grow in the afternoon sun. i was happy to see cuttings from my own plants that i grew from cuttings myself going into this wall. hopefully it will become a sprawling succulent jungle.

making a contact blueprint
since i have most of the plants people were trading, i decided to try out this contact printing project, using blueprint paper, some plant cuttings, and the sun as an exposure lamp. you chose your arrangement, then set it up quickly on the light-sensitive paper, let it expose for about 3 minutes, and then wash in water to stop the exposure.

contact blueprint of plant cuttings
at first, the print is this lovely aqua color, but it deepens to bright indigo as it dries.

contact prints drying at machine project
over the course of the day, several people had made interesting prints using leaves, plant cuttings and other found objects. it made a nice display in the gallery.

happy hour at el prado
after all the plant cloning festivities, we decided it was time to take our plants to el prado for their first happy hour. we also needed to talk about web design and the upcoming 5th of st. robot event at betalevel. and to do this, it was important to have olives, tapenade, cheese, crackers, and drinks. with all these things in place, we got everything sorted out.

spring bouquet at el prado
el prado is a nice space to talk and drink, especially when it’s early before the crowds. they had a really lovely bouquet set up at our table, so i tried to take a picture. cheers!